"have at" - To attack, to strike
Another member enquired about the English use of the term "to have at" which means "to attack" or "to strike"
While preparing a reply, I may have glitched everything because when I entered my reply, the questions vanished. In case it was something I did, here is my reply.
On a guess, there is no precisely similar term in Spanish. Here are some alternatives.
The Spanish verbs "atacar"-to attack, "confrontar" to confront, and "enfrontar" to face might (maybe) be suitable in Spanish.
to say "Let's have at it" = "Lo ataquemos".
From our dictionary, "to confront (to have at) somebody (about something) -> hablar cara a cara con alguien", and also
I intend to confront him (have at him) with it tomorrow -> pienso encararme con él mañana.
These are a few suggestions, there may be others. Please feel free to offer any other suggestions.
Recuerdos/Regards,
Moe
4 Answers
To confront someone = to have it out with someone.
That is what it is in British English, I don't know the expression "to have at".
Is that American / Canadian usage?
I am genuinely searching my brain cells and cannot find a way to use the three words "to have at".
To have a go at = to try to do something / to verbally abuse or to attack someone.
Am I missing something here Moe?
To me, that expression can be used in many ways. As mentioned, it could be used as meaning to attack, as in a fight or confrontation. But not necessarily a physical or negative attack. I use it more often as in to aggressively accomplish something, or to tell someone to do something till their hearts content.
Example:
I set down a plate of cookies infront of some children, and say to them, "have at it, kids". Meaning, eat the cookies to your hearts content.
Or, at work I may be very frustrated and cannot figure out a problem. A co-worker sees my frustration and offers to try and figure it out. I tell them, go ahead, have at it.
Could also be used as "to argue heavily or to fight like cats and dogs", such as married couples do for example. "You should have heard my neighbors last night, gee whiz they really had at it!"
To me, a native US-English speaker from the MidWest, the phrase does not sound strange. I might not say..."Let's have at it!"......but if I did, I would probably add something like ", Buster!"
Certainly "to have it out with someone" is familiar to me too...more familiar in fact.
And If the speaker's meaning were "to try", then the speaker would add that "go" as in "Let's have a go at it," as mortimerfran mentions.
The Questions just reappeared Moe.
