A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

at noon • in the afternoon
at noon —in the middle of the day; at twelve o’clock: The
committee will meet at noon on the third Monday of each
month.
in the afternoon —in the period between mid-day and eve-
ning: The morning will be set aside for committees to meet
and the full group will meet in the afternoon.
at one • in one
at one —in agreement: Here is an inner core of Evangelism
in which all true believers are at one.
in one —combined; together: He is President, Chairman
and Secretary in one.
at one time and another • at one time or another
at one time and another —from time to time; occasionally:
He wanted the robust exchange of love and passion such as he
had had with her at one time and another.
at one time or another —
1
. = at one time and another: Most
people suffer from headaches at one time or another. 2. one
day; sooner or later: God has told the prophets that these
events will happen at one time or another.
at one’s back • on one’s back
at one’s back —
1
. said of smb. pursuing or chasing a person:
He hopped on the bike and tore out of the lot, as though the
hounds of hell were at his back. 2. said of smb. giving support
or protection to a person: He has the head of the Department
at his back.
on one’s back —
1
. said of smb. causing trouble to a person:
He wants to know who’s going to be Sheriff. That’s the person
who’s going to be on his back. 2. said of smb. being a burden
to a person (causing expense, etc.): We’re the backbone of the
country, but you see, Bob, there’s too many people on our
backs.
Note:
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase on one’s shoulders— being smb.’s responsibility: I’d like
to get the decision made as early as possible because I don’t
want to have it on my shoulders for the whole season.