English Prepositional Phrases

at stake

at stake [1]

if something that you value very much is at stake, you will lose it if a plan or action is not successful.

• They have to win the contract – thousands of jobs are at stake.
• National pride is at stake in next week’s game against England.

by no means

by no means (not by any means) [1] [2]

not at all.

• It is by no means certain that we’ll finish the project by June.
• This isn’t the last we’ll hear of it by any means.

on a roll

be on a roll [1]

to be having a lot of success with what you are trying to do.

• Midvale High was on a roll, having won their last six basketball games.

on purpose

on purpose [1]

deliberately.

• You make it sound as if I did it on purpose!

on the side

on the side [1]

in addition to your main job.

• He makes a little money on the side by cleaning windows in his spare time.

secretly.

• I think he has another woman on the side (= a relationship with a woman who is not his wife).