Definify.com

Definition 2024

at_a_loss

at a loss

English

Prepositional phrase

Below the cost or price of purchase.
We sold those old computers at a loss.
(idiomatic) Not sure; uncertain; lacking further ideas, direction, or ability.

I have fixed the parts I understand, and the rest leaves me at a loss.

His policies may be ineffective, but he is never at a loss for words.

I'm at a loss how to proceed.

Synonyms

(not sure; lacking ideas, direction, etc): at sea, bewildered, stumped, up a tree

Translations

below the cost or price of purchase

Catalan: a pèrdua
Chinese:
Mandarin:
Finnish: tappiollisesti (fi), tappiolla

French: à perte (fr)
Icelandic: með tapi, (running at a loss) hallarekstur m, (operation at a loss) taprekstur m
Russian: с убы́тком (ru) ‎(s ubýtkom)
Spanish: a pérdida

not sure; uncertain; lacking further ideas, direction, or ability

Chinese:
Mandarin: 毫无头绪, 无能为力 (zh)
Czech: bezradný m
Finnish: neuvoton (fi), (lacking ability) avuton (fi)
French: perdu (fr), complètement perdu
German: ratlos (de)
Icelandic: ráðþrota m, ráðvilltur m, ráðalaus m, (at a loss for words) vefjast tunga um tönn, (be at a loss) fallast hendur, (completely at a loss) eins og álfur út úr hól, (be at a loss) koma af fjöllum, (be at a loss for words) verða orðfall, (be at a loss for an answer) verða svarafátt, (he was at a loss) það komu vöflur á hann

Maori: whakamāpuna, pākira, pōkīkī, tāhurihuri, rōrī
Norwegian: rådvill, på bærtur (to be in the woods)

Bokmål: rådløs

Nynorsk: rådlaus
Russian: в замеша́тельстве (ru) ‎(v zamešátelʹstve), расте́рянный (ru) ‎(rastérjannyj), в недоуме́нии (ru) ‎(v nedouménii), в расте́рянности (ru) ‎(v rastérjannosti), в затрудне́нии (ru) ‎(v zatrudnénii)
Spanish:

See also

lost for words