at sixes and sevens
prep_phraseEtymology
From earlier on six and seven, from Middle English on sixe and sevene, of unknown origin, though it may have originated from the game of hazard and the Old French cinc (“five”) and sis (“six”), the riskiest numbers to shoot for, which were either misheard as as "six" and "seven" or increased by one each as a form of exaggeration.
- derived from cinc
Definitions
In a state of confusion.
- Oh, what a racket! And everything on deck apparently at sixes and sevens. Mail-bags and passengers mixed up in every direction.
In a state of dispute or disagreement.
- Her outlook on life was so different from what he conceived a woman's outlook should be, that he was more often than not at sixes and sevens with her.
- All you will see is a girl you once knew, although she's dressed up to the nines, at sixes and sevens with you.
The neighborhood
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for at sixes and sevens. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA