at a loss

English

Prepositional phrase

at a loss

1. Below the cost or price of purchase.

   We sold those old computers at a loss.

2. (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 my 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

• French: à perte (fr)
• Icelandic: með tapi, (running at a loss) hallarekstur m, (operation at a loss) taprekstur m

• Russian: с убытком (ru) (s ubýtkom)

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

• Czech: bezradný m
• French: perdu (fr), complètement perdu
• German: ratlos
• 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
• Norwegian: rådvill, på bærtur (to be in the woods)

  Bokmål: rådløs

  Nynorsk: rådlaus

• Russian: в замешательстве (ru) (v zamešátelʹstve), растерянный (ru) (rastérjannyj), в недоумении (ru) (v nedouménii), в растерянности (ru) (v rastérjannosti), в затруднении (ru) (v zatrudnénii)

See also

• lost for words