Are there any rules on how "at that" should be used in the end of a sentence?
Not only was he discriminatory, but even quite rude at that.
He was very discriminatory and even quite rude at that.
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Sign up to join this communityAre there any rules on how "at that" should be used in the end of a sentence?
Not only was he discriminatory, but even quite rude at that.
He was very discriminatory and even quite rude at that.
I will speak for the way I hear it used in AmE (central-atlantic is my native dialect).
Not only was this paint remover ineffective, it was the most expensive one on the shelf at that!
A synonym in AmE is "to boot".
Not only was this paint remover ineffective, it was the most expensive one on the shelf to boot!
The emphasis underscores something that runs counter to the statement in the first clause.
P.S. I am told that in England it can mean "moreover" or "besides" without contrast with the prior assertion.
He was a fine athlete and a superb marksman at that.
I think the underlying common meaning emphasizes something you might not have expected having heard the first assertion, but I'd like to have some input from BrE speakers. Would the following be a proper idiomatic usage?
He was the biggest athlete on the team and the strongest at that.
My inclination is to say no, it isn't, but that this would be:
He was the biggest athlete on the team and the speediest at that.