(4) Source or cause, meaning because of, by reason of.
I felt my heart chill at the dismal sound.—T. W. Knox.
Delighted at this outburst against the Spaniards.—Parkman.
(5) Then the idiomatic phrases at last, at length, at any rate, at the best, at the worst, at least, at most, at first, at once, at all, at one, at naught, at random, etc.; and phrases signifying state or condition of being, as, at work, at play, at peace, at war, at rest, etc.
Exercise.—Find sentences with three different uses of at.
By.
320. Like at, by means near or close to, but has several other meanings more or less connected with this,—
(1) The general meaning of place.
Richard was standing by the window.—Aldrich.
Provided always the coach had not shed a wheel by the roadside.—Id.