Yesterday Sunflower awoke just as Dawn began to bleach the curtain of night and asked, "Where'd the expression, 'have at it' come from?" I groggily replied, "I don't know - go ask it on the board." Since she hasn't done so yet, I'm doing it for her!

Let me get this straight. Sunflower woke up to find Dawn in the room and all she could say was "Have at it" and you told her to go ask someone else?

The only reference I could find (American-Australian Slang Dictionary) indicates that to "have at it" is a New England phrase. The first I remember hearing the phrase was in Missouri in the early 1960s.

This site is run by Robert P. O'Shea of the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, and includes pages titled Words Americans should avoid saying to Australasians, Actual excerpts from classified sections of city newspapers, and 58 Actual Newspaper Headlines.

Tinman

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tinman,

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Yesterday Sunflower awoke just as Dawn began to bleach the curtain of night and asked

First, I love the phrase "dawn began to bleach the curtain of night." Is it original (and I don't mean "completely original," as is being discussed in another thread!).

Secondly, I do that to Shu all the time. Out of the blue (now, where did that phrase come from?), I will ask where some word or phrase came from. He is really very patient with me, considering... .

I loved this statement in Words Americans should avoid saying to Australians: "You are, however, less likely to offend or confuse Australians than you might think. Australians in particular are pretty hard to offend even at the best of times. And because of the universal spread of American language (mainly via TV), Australasians may consider your linguistic origin and know what you mean." Perhaps we should all be more like the Australians.

As for the phrase, "have at it," I haven't heard it, I don't think. How would it be used in a sentence? I have heard "have a go at it," but not just "have at it."

"Have at it" means to do it, to plunge in and try. I've also heard people say just "have at," meaning engage in an altercation. I think "have at it" is a parallel to the French "Allez-y," but I'm not sure. Both seem to mean, "go for it."

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Australians in particular are pretty hard to offend even at the best of times.

Unless you dare to suggest that their (generally execrable) beer is anything less than wonderful or that Australian men are not the world's greatest boozers (they're not by a long way).

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"Have at it" means to do it, to plunge in and try.

I guess we now know how the newlyweds came to be talking about this phrase in the morning.

I've heard the phrase, though not ever in the context to which you refer.

To me, "have at it" means give it a try. The meaning of "go at it" is illustrated by "go at it like rabbits".

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Originally posted by tinman:
Let me get this straight. Sunflower woke up to find Dawn in the room and all she could say was "Have at it" and you told her to go ask someone else?

Welllll, we have a strange and wonderful relationship. She's wonderful and I'm strange. As for Dawn, she made light of the whole situation.

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To me, "have at it" means give it a try.

That's always what I thought "have a go at it" meant.

"Have at it" actually has more of a fighting connotation to it, kind of like "have at you". "Have a go at it" is akin to "giving it the old college try", whatever that means. About a week after I graduated college in May I started using it, mostly to confuse/annoy my friends.

Okay, Sean. However, I can't even fathom how it would be used in a sentence...something like, "The White Sox will have at it with the Angles?" That can't be right!

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That can't be right!

Why not? Since when has colloquial English been logical, Kalleh?

I can't say I've ever heard the phrase used this side of the pond, by the way.

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"The White Sox will have at it with the Angles?"

I probably wouldn't phrase it like that, but I completely understand it. More sensible would be instead of "play ball" at a baseball game, "Have at it" at the beginning of a fight.

I'm with you. "Have at it" describes the onset of physical combat, a fist-fight or even a sword fight. I would expect Authoritative Sources to show the phrase to have been around for hundreds of years.

The phrase can be combative, but it isn't necessarily so. It's just an invitation to do something. Just as you might say to people about to enjoy a meal, "Dig right in" or "Help yourself," you could also say, "Have at it."

I think the connotation is more of "enjoy yourself," rather than "let's fight."

I think you're reading too much into it.

Tinman

Could be. "More things on heaven and earth, Horatio..."

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"The White Sox will have at it with the Angles?" That can't be right!

And how about having at it with the Picts and the Scots and Saxons and other ancient tribes? Angles!?!?

Oh...Asa...they did have at it last night, if you heard about the game. There was a highly controversial play at the end which allowed the White Sox to eventually win. Those Angels were none too happy!

I think I am getting it, but I feel as though I am speaking English as a second language, or something. Literally, I have never heard the phrase. It doesn't even sound right when I hear it.

Among those who are expected to be up to date on such things and eager to have at it in your part of the world at this time of year, how about them buckaroos?!

Comments?

I can also see "have at it" being used to tell a group of people to begin gorging themselves on a prepared feast they had been waiting to eat.