at your door
8
3.5
- idiom
:
a la vuelta de la esquina
- You're going to need it when the knock finally comes at your door.
- knocking at your door
- showing up at your door
- stranger at your door
You see it when it comes knocking at your door, you say yeah to it.
- You see it when it comes knocking at your door, you say yeah to it.
Examples
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Here's how it works: you fire up the app, select some groceries to buy, and an hour later they arrive at your door.
Blog text (30) -
Why shouldn't they be at your door in an hour?
Blog text (30) -
I'll be at your door tonight if you need help.
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We will still come knocking at your door.
Blog text (28) -
You will be receiving a package at your door in 30 minutes.
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In a little while, a deliveryman will be knocking at your door.
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It's such a surprise seeing someone at your door so unexpectedly.
Synonyms
51
3.2
About to happen
2
4.1
Likely to happen very soon
1
3.0
Very near someone's home so they can get there easily
Antonyms
How Imminent
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning ‘immediately available or imminent’ follows directly from the literal spatial sense of 'at' + 'your' + 'door' — if something is at your door it is right next to you, so a learner can infer availability or nearness. This door/doorstep metaphor for an approaching opportunity is common across many languages, making the figurative reading predictable for a B1 learner who knows the constituents.
Etymology
The phrase at your door comes from the simple image of something standing just outside your door, like a visitor or a package ready to come in. Because it is right there and about to enter, saying something is at your door now means 'immediately available' or 'about to happen'.