Pronunciation: /æt siː/

Definitions of at sea

adverb describes the location or state of being in the open ocean, away from land

Example Sentences

A1 The sailor felt lost at sea without a map.

A2 The new sailor was still learning the ropes and felt a bit at sea.

B1 The captain navigated the ship expertly even when they were at sea.

B2 Despite the storm, the crew remained calm and focused while at sea.

C1 The experienced sailor knew how to handle any situation that arose while at sea.

C2 The research vessel spent months at sea studying marine life in remote locations.

preposition indicates a location or position, in this case, being on the open ocean

Example Sentences

A1 The sailors were lost at sea.

A2 The fisherman felt at sea without his compass.

B1 The cruise ship was at sea for seven days.

B2 The navy ship patrolled the waters at sea.

C1 The research vessel conducted experiments at sea.

C2 The luxury yacht sailed smoothly at sea.

Examples of at sea in a Sentence

formal The ship encountered rough weather while at sea.

informal I love the feeling of being out at sea, surrounded by nothing but water.

slang We were totally lost at sea trying to find the party.

figurative She felt like she was at sea in the new job, unsure of which direction to take.

Grammatical Forms of at sea

past tense

was at sea

plural

at seas

comparative

more at sea

superlative

most at sea

present tense

is at sea

future tense

will be at sea

perfect tense

has been at sea

continuous tense

is being at sea

singular

at sea

positive degree

at sea

infinitive

to be at sea

gerund

being at sea

participle

at sea

Origin and Evolution of at sea

First Known Use: 1000 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'at sea' originated from Old English where 'sea' referred to a large body of salt water.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'at sea' has retained its original meaning of being on the open water, but it has also come to be used figuratively to mean being lost, confused, or unsure.