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at sixes and sevens

six
A a

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [siks]
    • /sɪks/
    • /ət ˈsɪk.sɪz ənd ˈsev.n̩z/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [siks]
    • /sɪks/

Definitions of at sixes and sevens words

  • phrase at sixes and sevens If you say that someone or something is at sixes and sevens, you mean that they are confused or disorganized. 3
  • noun at sixes and sevens in disagreement 3
  • noun at sixes and sevens in a state of confusion 3
  • noun at sixes and sevens in confusion or disorder 3
  • noun at sixes and sevens at odds; disagreeing 3
  • noun at sixes and sevens a cardinal number, five plus one. 1
See all 16 definitions of at sixes and sevens

Information block about the term

Origin of at sixes and sevens

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English six, sex, Old English siex, syx, seox, sex; cognate with Dutch zes, Low German ses, German sechs, Old Norse sex, Gothic saihs, Latin sex, Greek héx, Sanskrit ṣaṣ

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for At sixes and sevens

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of At sixes and sevens

at sixes and sevens popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 100% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

at sixes and sevens usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for at sixes and sevens

adj at sixes and sevens

  • muddled — to mix up in a confused or bungling manner; jumble.
  • bewildered — If you are bewildered, you are very confused and cannot understand something or decide what you should do.
  • perplexed — bewildered; puzzled: a perplexed state of mind.
  • puzzled — a toy, problem, or other contrivance designed to amuse by presenting difficulties to be solved by ingenuity or patient effort.
  • distracted — Obsolete. distracted.
All 40 Synonyms of at sixes and sevens

Antonyms for at sixes and sevens

adj at sixes and sevens

  • composed — If someone is composed, they are calm and able to control their feelings.
  • organized — affiliated in an organization, especially a union: organized dockworkers.
  • understanding — mental process of a person who comprehends; comprehension; personal interpretation: My understanding of the word does not agree with yours.
  • methodical — performed, disposed, or acting in a systematic way; systematic; orderly: a methodical person.
  • ordered — neatly or conveniently arranged; well-organized: an ordered office.
All 9 Antonyms of at sixes and sevens

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