View synonyms for at sea

at sea

Also, all at sea . Perplexed, bewildered, as in She was all at sea in these new surroundings . This idiom transfers the condition of a vessel that has lost its bearings to the human mind. Charles Dickens used it in Little Dorrit (1855): “Mrs. Tickit ... was so plainly at sea on this part of the case.” [Second half of 1700s]
Aboard a ship, on the ocean, as in Within a few hours the ship would be out at sea . During World War II a famous American newscaster addressed his radio broadcasts to listeners everywhere, including “all the ships at sea.” [1300s]

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Example Sentences

At the end of 1652 Deane returned to his command as general-at-sea, where Monck had succeeded Popham, who had died in 1651.

He was still ill, and found himself growing daily worse, but he made an effort to aid his brother generals-at-sea.

A moment's rustling pause in the darkness down below, and then the far-out-at-sea voice spoke again.

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