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

at home • on home ground
at home —(predic.) very competent in smth. (with the im-
plication that it makes a person feel confident and relaxed):
Melanie is equally at home singing oratorio, jazz or performing
in musical theater.
on home ground —
1
. in the area where one works or lives: It
was nice to renew acquaintances of students I’ve taught and
to meet them on “home ground.” 2. = at home: Godber is on
home ground, writing with cold-eyed affection about the
Yorkshire mining communities.
at home in something • at home with something
at home in something —very competent in a particular sub-
ject (with the implication that it makes a person feel confident
and relaxed): Richard was at home in mathematics and physics
as well as Greek.
at home with something —feeling easy and confident about
using smth.: From the day we arrived he was completely at
home with the camera.
at home to someone • at home with someone
at home to someone —prepared and willing to receive visitors:
Mrs. Hill is not at home to anyone except relatives.
at home with someone —
1
. on friendly terms with smb.: She
described his charm as “magnetic” and said “he was at home
with everybody.” 2. feeling comfortable in a person’s company:
His genial manner made me feel quite at home with him.
at interest • with interest
at interest—(of money) borrowed or lent on the condition that
interest is to be paid: The sum was placed in a bank at interest
and not to be drawn before a set maturity date.
with interest—
1
. (of money) paid with interest included: The
company will return your original investment to you with in-
terest. 2. return or repay with increase or addition: The boys
make monkey faces at me and I return the compliment with
interest.
at it • in it
at it—
1
. hard at work exerting oneself: He never gives him-
self any rest; he’s always at it. 2. doing smth., especially repeat -
edly, of which the speaker disapproves: Those children lighting
fires in the park. So they are at it again, are they? 3. arguing
or quarrelling, especially when this happens repeatedly: There
they are at it now, with their caterwauling, squealing, all to-
gether. 4. (euph., sl.) indulging in sexual intercourse: The cou-
ple next door have been at it all night.
in it—taking part in an activity; engaged in smth.: There
is no money in boxing. Those of us who started it many years
ago are really not in it for the money.