Usage of 'at' in contextAre these garden path sentences grammatically correct?Usage of “upon”What is the best Bible translation by which I can speak proper English if I read it enough times?Correct usage of 'one'Roger Ascham his languagea [box [of apples] ] vs [a box] [of apples]Newspaper Usage-SyntaxAll along, all I was running away from was “me” or “myself”?Conjunction Usage?Two Questions: Capitalization After Colon; Syntax and Punctuation
What makes accurate emulation of old systems a difficult task?
Which big number is bigger?
How would one muzzle a full grown polar bear in the 13th century?
If a planet has 3 moons, is it possible to have triple Full/New Moons at once?
A strange hotel
What language was spoken in East Asia before Proto-Turkic?
Was there a shared-world project before "Thieves World"?
Mjolnir's timeline from Thor's perspective
what is the sudo password for a --disabled-password user
How to verbalise code in Mathematica?
What are the potential pitfalls when using metals as a currency?
How to reduce LED flash rate (frequency)
Is it idiomatic to construct against `this`?
Phrase for the opposite of "foolproof"
The Defining Moment
Interpret a multiple linear regression when Y is log transformed
How exactly does Hawking radiation decrease the mass of black holes?
Minor Revision with suggestion of an alternative proof by reviewer
How to write a column outside the braces in a matrix?
"The cow" OR "a cow" OR "cows" in this context
Can SQL Server create collisions in system generated constraint names?
Seemingly unused edef prior to an ifx mysteriously affects the outcome of the ifx. Why?
A Note on N!
web3.py web3.isConnected() returns false always
Usage of 'at' in context
Are these garden path sentences grammatically correct?Usage of “upon”What is the best Bible translation by which I can speak proper English if I read it enough times?Correct usage of 'one'Roger Ascham his languagea [box [of apples] ] vs [a box] [of apples]Newspaper Usage-SyntaxAll along, all I was running away from was “me” or “myself”?Conjunction Usage?Two Questions: Capitalization After Colon; Syntax and Punctuation
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty margin-bottom:0;
I'm using an application to improve my English. The app had the word 'fabric' and one of its meanings was:
The walls, floor, and the roof of a building.
The example used to explain the meaning was:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric
What I couldn't understand was why did they use the word at in the sentence. Shouldn't the sentence be Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric?
syntax
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
add a comment |
I'm using an application to improve my English. The app had the word 'fabric' and one of its meanings was:
The walls, floor, and the roof of a building.
The example used to explain the meaning was:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric
What I couldn't understand was why did they use the word at in the sentence. Shouldn't the sentence be Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric?
syntax
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
1
Eat in the sense of erode, wear away can be used in various phrases such as eat away, eat up, eat at. mnemonicdictionary.com/word/eat%20at
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 8:50
Your comment doesn't give any viable explanation. What's wrong with "eating away the building's fabric"?
– Kartik Chauhan
Mar 27 at 9:07
It isn't wrong. However, eat when used in this sense is more commonly followed by at.
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 9:16
add a comment |
I'm using an application to improve my English. The app had the word 'fabric' and one of its meanings was:
The walls, floor, and the roof of a building.
The example used to explain the meaning was:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric
What I couldn't understand was why did they use the word at in the sentence. Shouldn't the sentence be Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric?
syntax
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
I'm using an application to improve my English. The app had the word 'fabric' and one of its meanings was:
The walls, floor, and the roof of a building.
The example used to explain the meaning was:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric
What I couldn't understand was why did they use the word at in the sentence. Shouldn't the sentence be Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric?
syntax
syntax
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
edited Mar 27 at 7:57
Lordology
1,553217
1,553217
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
asked Mar 27 at 7:13
Kartik ChauhanKartik Chauhan
1136
1136
1
Eat in the sense of erode, wear away can be used in various phrases such as eat away, eat up, eat at. mnemonicdictionary.com/word/eat%20at
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 8:50
Your comment doesn't give any viable explanation. What's wrong with "eating away the building's fabric"?
– Kartik Chauhan
Mar 27 at 9:07
It isn't wrong. However, eat when used in this sense is more commonly followed by at.
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 9:16
add a comment |
1
Eat in the sense of erode, wear away can be used in various phrases such as eat away, eat up, eat at. mnemonicdictionary.com/word/eat%20at
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 8:50
Your comment doesn't give any viable explanation. What's wrong with "eating away the building's fabric"?
– Kartik Chauhan
Mar 27 at 9:07
It isn't wrong. However, eat when used in this sense is more commonly followed by at.
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 9:16
1
1
Eat in the sense of erode, wear away can be used in various phrases such as eat away, eat up, eat at. mnemonicdictionary.com/word/eat%20at
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 8:50
Eat in the sense of erode, wear away can be used in various phrases such as eat away, eat up, eat at. mnemonicdictionary.com/word/eat%20at
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 8:50
Your comment doesn't give any viable explanation. What's wrong with "eating away the building's fabric"?
– Kartik Chauhan
Mar 27 at 9:07
Your comment doesn't give any viable explanation. What's wrong with "eating away the building's fabric"?
– Kartik Chauhan
Mar 27 at 9:07
It isn't wrong. However, eat when used in this sense is more commonly followed by at.
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 9:16
It isn't wrong. However, eat when used in this sense is more commonly followed by at.
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 9:16
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
There's nothing wrong with just eating away the building's fabric.
In fact, all of these are acceptable variations:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating the building's fabric.
The use of the preposition, with our without away, is simply a method of adding a kind of metaphorical description to the action.
For instance, when I think of eating away at, I have a brief mental image of a mouse—or even of something like the titular character from the Pac-Man video game. It also, perhaps with the associated visual, makes me think of nibbling rather than eating in a generic sense.
I suspect I have this visual because the use of at implies something or someone being somewhere. So, not only is there something that is being eaten, but it more strongly enforces the (visual) idea that there is something else present doing the eating.
Similarly, the use of away implies a more long-term effect, one that's taking some time, rather than something that's just quickly swallowed. Of course, the use of slowly in the example sentence also conveys that meaning, but away reinforces it.
Grammatically, there's nothing wrong with any of these sentences. It's just a matter of style, personal preference, habitual language use, and, perhaps, implied imagery, that's determining the verbiage used.
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
I agree with this answer - I'd add another the difference that "at" makes is how much of the building's fabric is being eaten. "Eating the building's fabric" implies sooner or later all the building will be gone. "Eating at the building's fabric" means the building is big and will never fully disappear due to the decay.
– Binney
Mar 27 at 17:04
@Binney I see where you're going with that, but my interpretation would be that something eventually will be fully eaten unless the action stops. That it's slow (in this sentence anyway) means that you still have time to repair the damage—there's no urgency; however, you can't ignore it altogether. If it weren't something to worry about, I might instead say something like ineffectively gnawing at.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 27 at 17:11
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function()
var channelOptions =
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
;
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function()
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled)
StackExchange.using("snippets", function()
createEditor();
);
else
createEditor();
);
function createEditor()
StackExchange.prepareEditor(
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader:
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
,
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
);
);
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f491532%2fusage-of-at-in-context%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
There's nothing wrong with just eating away the building's fabric.
In fact, all of these are acceptable variations:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating the building's fabric.
The use of the preposition, with our without away, is simply a method of adding a kind of metaphorical description to the action.
For instance, when I think of eating away at, I have a brief mental image of a mouse—or even of something like the titular character from the Pac-Man video game. It also, perhaps with the associated visual, makes me think of nibbling rather than eating in a generic sense.
I suspect I have this visual because the use of at implies something or someone being somewhere. So, not only is there something that is being eaten, but it more strongly enforces the (visual) idea that there is something else present doing the eating.
Similarly, the use of away implies a more long-term effect, one that's taking some time, rather than something that's just quickly swallowed. Of course, the use of slowly in the example sentence also conveys that meaning, but away reinforces it.
Grammatically, there's nothing wrong with any of these sentences. It's just a matter of style, personal preference, habitual language use, and, perhaps, implied imagery, that's determining the verbiage used.
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
I agree with this answer - I'd add another the difference that "at" makes is how much of the building's fabric is being eaten. "Eating the building's fabric" implies sooner or later all the building will be gone. "Eating at the building's fabric" means the building is big and will never fully disappear due to the decay.
– Binney
Mar 27 at 17:04
@Binney I see where you're going with that, but my interpretation would be that something eventually will be fully eaten unless the action stops. That it's slow (in this sentence anyway) means that you still have time to repair the damage—there's no urgency; however, you can't ignore it altogether. If it weren't something to worry about, I might instead say something like ineffectively gnawing at.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 27 at 17:11
add a comment |
There's nothing wrong with just eating away the building's fabric.
In fact, all of these are acceptable variations:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating the building's fabric.
The use of the preposition, with our without away, is simply a method of adding a kind of metaphorical description to the action.
For instance, when I think of eating away at, I have a brief mental image of a mouse—or even of something like the titular character from the Pac-Man video game. It also, perhaps with the associated visual, makes me think of nibbling rather than eating in a generic sense.
I suspect I have this visual because the use of at implies something or someone being somewhere. So, not only is there something that is being eaten, but it more strongly enforces the (visual) idea that there is something else present doing the eating.
Similarly, the use of away implies a more long-term effect, one that's taking some time, rather than something that's just quickly swallowed. Of course, the use of slowly in the example sentence also conveys that meaning, but away reinforces it.
Grammatically, there's nothing wrong with any of these sentences. It's just a matter of style, personal preference, habitual language use, and, perhaps, implied imagery, that's determining the verbiage used.
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
I agree with this answer - I'd add another the difference that "at" makes is how much of the building's fabric is being eaten. "Eating the building's fabric" implies sooner or later all the building will be gone. "Eating at the building's fabric" means the building is big and will never fully disappear due to the decay.
– Binney
Mar 27 at 17:04
@Binney I see where you're going with that, but my interpretation would be that something eventually will be fully eaten unless the action stops. That it's slow (in this sentence anyway) means that you still have time to repair the damage—there's no urgency; however, you can't ignore it altogether. If it weren't something to worry about, I might instead say something like ineffectively gnawing at.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 27 at 17:11
add a comment |
There's nothing wrong with just eating away the building's fabric.
In fact, all of these are acceptable variations:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating the building's fabric.
The use of the preposition, with our without away, is simply a method of adding a kind of metaphorical description to the action.
For instance, when I think of eating away at, I have a brief mental image of a mouse—or even of something like the titular character from the Pac-Man video game. It also, perhaps with the associated visual, makes me think of nibbling rather than eating in a generic sense.
I suspect I have this visual because the use of at implies something or someone being somewhere. So, not only is there something that is being eaten, but it more strongly enforces the (visual) idea that there is something else present doing the eating.
Similarly, the use of away implies a more long-term effect, one that's taking some time, rather than something that's just quickly swallowed. Of course, the use of slowly in the example sentence also conveys that meaning, but away reinforces it.
Grammatically, there's nothing wrong with any of these sentences. It's just a matter of style, personal preference, habitual language use, and, perhaps, implied imagery, that's determining the verbiage used.
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
There's nothing wrong with just eating away the building's fabric.
In fact, all of these are acceptable variations:
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating away the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating at the building's fabric.
Decay and neglect are slowly eating the building's fabric.
The use of the preposition, with our without away, is simply a method of adding a kind of metaphorical description to the action.
For instance, when I think of eating away at, I have a brief mental image of a mouse—or even of something like the titular character from the Pac-Man video game. It also, perhaps with the associated visual, makes me think of nibbling rather than eating in a generic sense.
I suspect I have this visual because the use of at implies something or someone being somewhere. So, not only is there something that is being eaten, but it more strongly enforces the (visual) idea that there is something else present doing the eating.
Similarly, the use of away implies a more long-term effect, one that's taking some time, rather than something that's just quickly swallowed. Of course, the use of slowly in the example sentence also conveys that meaning, but away reinforces it.
Grammatically, there's nothing wrong with any of these sentences. It's just a matter of style, personal preference, habitual language use, and, perhaps, implied imagery, that's determining the verbiage used.
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
answered Mar 27 at 16:40
Jason BassfordJason Bassford
21.5k32753
21.5k32753
I agree with this answer - I'd add another the difference that "at" makes is how much of the building's fabric is being eaten. "Eating the building's fabric" implies sooner or later all the building will be gone. "Eating at the building's fabric" means the building is big and will never fully disappear due to the decay.
– Binney
Mar 27 at 17:04
@Binney I see where you're going with that, but my interpretation would be that something eventually will be fully eaten unless the action stops. That it's slow (in this sentence anyway) means that you still have time to repair the damage—there's no urgency; however, you can't ignore it altogether. If it weren't something to worry about, I might instead say something like ineffectively gnawing at.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 27 at 17:11
add a comment |
I agree with this answer - I'd add another the difference that "at" makes is how much of the building's fabric is being eaten. "Eating the building's fabric" implies sooner or later all the building will be gone. "Eating at the building's fabric" means the building is big and will never fully disappear due to the decay.
– Binney
Mar 27 at 17:04
@Binney I see where you're going with that, but my interpretation would be that something eventually will be fully eaten unless the action stops. That it's slow (in this sentence anyway) means that you still have time to repair the damage—there's no urgency; however, you can't ignore it altogether. If it weren't something to worry about, I might instead say something like ineffectively gnawing at.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 27 at 17:11
I agree with this answer - I'd add another the difference that "at" makes is how much of the building's fabric is being eaten. "Eating the building's fabric" implies sooner or later all the building will be gone. "Eating at the building's fabric" means the building is big and will never fully disappear due to the decay.
– Binney
Mar 27 at 17:04
I agree with this answer - I'd add another the difference that "at" makes is how much of the building's fabric is being eaten. "Eating the building's fabric" implies sooner or later all the building will be gone. "Eating at the building's fabric" means the building is big and will never fully disappear due to the decay.
– Binney
Mar 27 at 17:04
@Binney I see where you're going with that, but my interpretation would be that something eventually will be fully eaten unless the action stops. That it's slow (in this sentence anyway) means that you still have time to repair the damage—there's no urgency; however, you can't ignore it altogether. If it weren't something to worry about, I might instead say something like ineffectively gnawing at.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 27 at 17:11
@Binney I see where you're going with that, but my interpretation would be that something eventually will be fully eaten unless the action stops. That it's slow (in this sentence anyway) means that you still have time to repair the damage—there's no urgency; however, you can't ignore it altogether. If it weren't something to worry about, I might instead say something like ineffectively gnawing at.
– Jason Bassford
Mar 27 at 17:11
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f491532%2fusage-of-at-in-context%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
1
Eat in the sense of erode, wear away can be used in various phrases such as eat away, eat up, eat at. mnemonicdictionary.com/word/eat%20at
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 8:50
Your comment doesn't give any viable explanation. What's wrong with "eating away the building's fabric"?
– Kartik Chauhan
Mar 27 at 9:07
It isn't wrong. However, eat when used in this sense is more commonly followed by at.
– Kate Bunting
Mar 27 at 9:16