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What's the difference and what's more appropriate in following cases:

We had a romantic dinner at the lake yesterday.
We had a romantic dinner by the lake yesterday.

(On a plane)
I'd like to sit at the window.
I'd like to sit by the window.

Thank you in advance!

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  • 36,000 questions as to "at". 43,000 questions as to "by".
    – rogermue
    Jul 9, 2015 at 16:46
  • Victoria, please see Help on merging accounts to regain access to this account. (Note the different icons: you do in fact have two accounts)
    – Andrew Leach ♦
    Jul 9, 2015 at 20:34

1 Answer 1

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  • "At" means the location of.
  • "By" means adjacent to.

In the two example you quote you can use either (it being assumed from context that you did not eat your dinner in the lake). However if you ate your dinner on a boat on the lake, "by the lake" would be incorrect.

You would not say "We had dinner by the Italian restaurant", unless you ate your sandwiches on the sidewalk next to it.

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