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At vs Upon - What's the difference?

at | upon | Synonyms |

Upon is a synonym of at.



As prepositions the difference between at and upon

is that at is in or very near a particular place while upon is being above and in contact with another.

As a noun at

is the @ symbol.

As an initialism AT

is initialism of lang=en.

As an adverb upon is

being the target of an action.

at

English

(AT)

Preposition

(English prepositions)
  • In or very near a particular place.
  • :
  • *
  • *:“My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. ¶ Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. ¶ “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”
  • *
  • *:(b ) sporophyte with foot reduced, the entire sporophyte enveloped by the calyptra, which is ± stipitate at the base.
  • (indicating time) Simultaneous, during.
  • :
  • *{{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 19, author=Josh Halliday, work=the Guardian
  • , title= Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised? , passage=Other global taboos, such as sex and suicide, manifest themselves widely online, with websites offering suicide guides and Hot XXX Action seconds away at the click of a button. The UK government will come under pressure to block access to pornographic websites this year when a committee of MPs publishes its report on protecting children online.}}
  • In the direction of (often in an unfocused or uncaring manner).
  • :
  • *
  • *:“My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. ¶ Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. ¶ “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”
  • Occupied in (activity).
  • :
  • :
  • Because of.
  • :
  • Holding a given speed or .
  • :
  • In a state of.
  • :
  • bothering, irritating, causing discomfort to
  • *1995 Keith Wood, quoted in David Hughes, " Wood odds-on to take one against the head", in The Independent (London) 18 January:
  • *:I think `Jesus, my back is at' me'. Then I get the ball. Off you go for 10 yards and you don't feel a thing. Then you stop and think: `Jesus, it's ' at me again'[.]
  • *2014 Marian Keyes " Antarctic Diary - Part 2" personal website (January 2014):
  • *:He seems to be saying. “Ah, go on, you’re making the other lads feel bad.” But the 4th fella says, “No. Don’t be ‘at’ me. I’m just not in the form right now, I’ll stay where I am, thanks.”
  • Usage notes

    * He threw the ball to me — (so I could catch it). * He threw the ball at me — (trying to hit me with it). * He talked to her — (conversationally). * He shouted at her — (aggressively).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • the symbol.
  • Statistics

    *

    upon

    English

    Alternative forms

    * vpon (obsolete)

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Being above and in contact with another.
  • :
  • *{{quote-book, year=1899, author=(Hughes Mearns)
  • , title= , passage=Yesterday, upon the stair / I met a man who wasn’t there / He wasn’t there again today / I wish, I wish he’d go away …}}
  • Being directly supported by another.
  • :
  • :
  • Being followed by another so as to form a series.
  • :
  • At a prescribed point in time.
  • :
  • .
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousness dawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation it merited.}}
  • *
  • *:Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence.
  • Usage notes

    A somewhat elevated word; the simpler, more general term on is generally interchangeable, and more common in casual American speech. In poetic or legal contexts, upon is common.

    Synonyms

    * (all senses) on * (time) at

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Being the target of an action.
  • He was set upon by the agitated dogs
  • Incidental to a specified point in time or order of action; usually combined with here-, there- or where-.
  • The clock struck noon, whereupon the students proceeded to lunch.

    Derived terms

    * hereupon * thereupon * whereupon

    Statistics

    *