at sixes and sevens

Meaning: (idiomatic,UK,Ireland,Commonwealth)In astateofconfusion.Synonym:all sixes and nines17th century,Thomas Ford, "Yet if His Majesty Our Sovereign Lord" (Christ Church MS. 736–8), first published byA. H. Bullen,Lyrics from the Song Books of the Elizabethan Age(1888):Yet if his majesty our sovereign lordShould of his own accordFriendly himself invite,And say "I'll be your guest to-morrow night."How should we stir ourselves, call and commandAll hands to work! Let no man idle stand. [...]For 'tis a duteous thingTo show all honour to an earthly king,And after all our travail and our cost,So he be pleas'd, to think no labour lost.But at the coming of the King of HeavenAll's set at six and seven:We wallow in our sin,Christ cannot find a chamber in the inn.We entertain him always like a stranger,And as at first still lodge him in the manger.1912,Arthur Quiller-Couch, chapter 23, inPoison Island:Oh, what a racket! And everything on deck apparentlyat sixes and sevens. Mail-bags and passengers mixed up in every direction.1972,Chang Kuo-t’ao,The Rise of the Chinese Communist Party 1928-1938‎[1], volume II,University Press of Kansas,→LCCN,→OCLC,page342:A few days after the battle started, we abandoned Pa-chung County. The enemy troops were elated and boasted of their victory. In fact, the loss of Pa-chung County was a great setback for us. The local people, seeing our departure, could not help wavering. Even those engaged in the work of the Soviet government were not altogether clear about the strategy of our army. They wereat sixes and sevens, and some went to such lengths as to make preparations for the eventuality that the Red Army might back out of northern Szechwan.; (idiomatic,of people or groups)In a state ofdisputeordisagreement.Synonym:at loggerheads1911,Jack London, chapter 6, inAdventure:Her outlook on life was so different from what he conceived a woman's outlook should be, that he was more often than notat sixes and sevenswith her.1976,Tim Rice,Don't Cry For Me Argentina:All you will see is a girl you once knew, although she's dressed up to the nines,at sixes and sevenswith you.

Examples:

EN: Things at sixes and sevens at the bank.
ES: ¡Pero Preston! Las cosas andan mal en el Banco.
EN: I'm afraid we're a bit at sixes and sevens, aren't we?
ES: Temo que debe de haber una confusión.
EN: I seem to be at sixes and sevens.
ES: Parezco estar muy confusa.
EN: The house is at sixes and sevens morning and night over the child.
ES: Día y noche discutiendo por culpa de esta niña.
EN: You're all at sixes and sevens.
ES: Estáis todos a seises y sietes.
EN: No longer at sixes and sevens
ES: No más seis y sietes
EN: I'm all at sixes and sevens. -Oh, let me!
ES: - Déjeme hacerlo.
EN: The whole house is at sixes and sevens.
ES: Toda la casa está hecha un lío.
EN: I know how a house is at sixes and sevens once the staff start marrying.
ES: Sé que una casa es un desastre si el servicio se casa.
EN: This party has me at sixes and sevens.
ES: Esta fiesta me tiene como pollo sin cabeza.
EN: We're at sixes and sevens.
ES: Está todo manga por hombro.
EN: You know, you've been at sixes and sevens with me all day.
ES: Sabes, llevas todo el día buscándome
EN: Rita, look at me, all at sixes and sevens.
ES: Mírame, mi vida es un desastre.
EN: I'm afraid we're at sixes and sevens with preparations for Lady Scarlett's engagement.
ES: Estamos que volamos con los preparativos del compromiso de Lady Scarlett.
EN: Well, you seem to be at sixes and sevens, so why don't we just leave it at this?
ES: Bueno, pareces estar hecha un lío, así que ¿por qué no lo dejamos así?

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