At sixes and sevens

Question

Hello,Which of the following sentences do you find correct?I am at sixes and sevens what to make for dinner tonight.I am at sixes and sevens about what to make for dinner tonight.I am at sixes and sevens over what to make for dinner tonight.Thank you for your answers.

Yankee · Accepted Answer

Hi Successor

Sentences 2 and 3 are both OK, but sentence 1 sounds odd to me without a preposition.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

to be confused or badly organized We were at sixes and sevens for about a week after we moved in.
from http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/be+at+sixes+and+sevens

To me, the idiom mainly has the 'badly organized' meaning, and it's a physical kind of meaning. For instance, the example above suggests that stuff was sitting in boxes and piles all over the floor, because you had not had time to organize it and put it away properly.

If you tell me I am at sixes and sevens over what to make for dinner tonight,
it usually sounds to me like you are standing in your kitchen surrounded by a lot of food, saucepans, etc. that you have pulled out of your cupboards.

It doesn't really suggest that you just can't make a mental choice of either pizza or spaghetti.

Best wishes, Clive

At sixes and sevens

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