at sea
在海上,在航海中;茫然,不知所云;迷惑,不知所措
Sea n.
1. One of the larger bodies of salt water, less than an ocean, found on the earth's surface; a body of salt water of second rank, generally forming part of, or connecting with, an ocean or a larger sea; as, the Mediterranean Sea; the Sea of Marmora; the North Sea; the Carribean Sea.
2. An inland body of water, esp. if large or if salt or brackish; as, the Caspian Sea; the Sea of Aral; sometimes, a small fresh-water lake; as, the Sea of Galilee.
3. The ocean; the whole body of the salt water which covers a large part of the globe.
I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. --Shak.
Ambiguous between sea and land
The river horse and scaly crocodile. --Milton.
4. The swell of the ocean or other body of water in a high wind; motion or agitation of the water's surface; also, a single wave; a billow; as, there was a high sea after the storm; the vessel shipped a sea.
5. Jewish Antiq. A great brazen laver in the temple at Jerusalem; -- so called from its size.
He made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof. --2 Chron. iv. 2.
6. Fig.: Anything resembling the sea in vastness; as, a sea of glory.
All the space . . . was one sea of heads. --Macaulay.
Note: ☞ Sea is often used in the composition of words of obvious signification; as, sea-bathed, sea-beaten, sea-bound, sea-bred, sea-circled, sealike, sea-nursed, sea-tossed, sea-walled, sea-worn, and the like. It is also used either adjectively or in combination with substantives; as, sea bird, sea-bird, or seabird, sea acorn, or sea-acorn.
At sea, upon the ocean; away from land; figuratively, without landmarks for guidance; lost; at the mercy of circumstances. “To say the old man was at sea would be too feeble an expression.” --G. W. Cable
At full sea at the height of flood tide; hence, at the height. “But now God's mercy was at full sea.” --Jer. Taylor.
Beyond seas, or Beyond the sea or Beyond the seas Law, out of the state, territory, realm, or country. --Wharton.
Half seas over, half drunk. [Colloq.] --Spectator.
Heavy sea, a sea in which the waves run high.
Long sea, a sea characterized by the uniform and steady motion of long and extensive waves.
Short sea, a sea in which the waves are short, broken, and irregular, so as to produce a tumbling or jerking motion.
To go to sea, to adopt the calling or occupation of a sailor.
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at sea
adj 1: perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements;
filled with bewilderment; "obviously bemused by his
questions"; "bewildered and confused"; "a cloudy and
confounded philosopher"; "just a mixed-up kid"; "she
felt lost on the first day of school" [syn: baffled,
befuddled, bemused, bewildered, confounded, confused,
lost, mazed, mixed-up]
2: traveling by boat or ship [syn: at sea(p), sailing]