[in and out]{adv. phr.} 1. Coming in and going out often. •/He was very busy Saturday and was in and out all day./ 2. See: INSIDE OUT(2).
[in another’s place] See: PUT ONESELF IN ANOTHER’S PLACE.
[in a nutshell]{adv. phr.}, {informal} In a few words; briefly, without telling all about it. •/We are in a hurry, so I’ll give you the story in a nutshell./ •/In a nutshell, the car is no bargain./ Compare: IN SHORT.
[in any case] also [in any event] or [at all events] {adv. phr.} 1. No matter what happens: surely; without fail; certainly; anyhow; anyway. •/It may rain tomorrow, but we are going home in any case./ •/I may not go to Europe, but in any event, I will visit you during the summer./ 2. Regardless of anything else; whatever else may be true; anyhow; anyway. •/Tom was not handsome and he was not brilliant, but at all events he worked hard and was loyal to his boss./ •/I don’t know if it is a white house or a brown house. At all events, it is a big house on Main Street./ Compare: AT ANY RATE, AT LEAST(2).
[in any event] See: IN ANY CASE.
[in a pickle]{adv. phr.}, {informal} In a quandary; in a difficult situation. •/I was certainly in a pickle when my front tire blew out./
[in a pig’s eye]{adv.}, {slang}, [informal] Hardly; unlikely; not so. •/Would I marry him? In a pig’s eye./
[in a pinch]{adv. phr.}, {informal} In an emergency. •/Dave is a good friend who will always help out in a pinch./
[in arms]{adv. phr.} Having guns and being ready to fight; armed. •/When our country is at war, we have many men in arms./ Syn.: UP IN ARMS!
[in a row] See: GET ONE’S DUCKS IN A ROW.
[in arrears]{adv. phr.} Late or behind in payment of money or in finishing something. — Usually used of a legal debt or formal obligation. •/Poor Mr. Brown! He is in arrears on his rent./ •/He is in arrears on the story he promised to write for the magazine./
[in a sense]{adv. phr.} In some ways but not in all; somewhat. •/Mr. Smith said our school is the best in the state, and in a sense that is true./ •/In a sense, arithmetic is a language./
[inasmuch as]{conj.} 1. See: INSOFAR AS. 2. also [for as much as] {formal} Because; for the reason that; since. •/Inasmuch as this is your team, you have the right to choose your own captain./ •/Inasmuch as the waves are high, I shall not go out in the boat./
[in a sort of way] See: IN A WAY(1).
[in a spot] See: ON THE SPOT(2).
[in a trice] See: IN A FLASH.
[in at the kill]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Watching or taking part, usually with pleasure, at the end of a struggle; present at the finish. •/Frank and John have been quarreling for a long time and tonight they are having a fight. Bill says he wants to be in at the kill, because he is Frank’s friend./
[in a walk] See: WIN IN A WALK.
[in a way]{adv. phr.} 1. also {informal} [in a kind of way] or {informal} [in a sort of way] To a certain extent; a little; somewhat. •/I like Jane in a way, but she is very proud./ Compare: AFTER A FASHION, MORE OR LESS. 2. In one thing. •/In a way, this book is easier: it is much shorter./
[in awe of] See: STAND IN AWE OF.
[in a while] See: AFTER A WHILE, EVERY NOW AND THEN or EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
[in a whole skin] See: WITH A WHOLE SKIN.
[in a word] See: IN BRIEF.
[in a world of one’s own] or [in a world by oneself] 1. In the place where you belong; in your own personal surroundings; apart from other people. •/They are in a little world of their own in their house on the mountain./ 2a. In deep thought or concentration. •/Mary is in a world of her own when she is playing the piano./ Compare: LOSE ONESELF. 2b. {slang} Not caring about or connected with other people in thoughts or actions. — Usually used sarcastically. •/That boy is in a world all by himself. He never knows what is happening around him./
[in a zone]{adv.}, {slang}, {informal} In a daze; in a daydream; in a state of being unable to concentrate. •/Professor Smith puts everyone in a zone./
[in back of] See: BACK OF.
[in bad]{adv. phr.}, {substandard} Out of favor; unpopular; in difficulty; in trouble. •/No, I can’t go swimming today. Father told me to stay home, and I don’t want to get in bad./ — Usually used with "with". •/Mary is in bad with the teacher for cheating on the test./ •/The boy is in bad with the police for breaking windows./ Contrast: IN GOOD, IN ONE’S FAVOR.
[in bad form]{adv. phr.} Violating social custom or accepted behavior. •/When Bob went to the opera in blue jeans and without a tie, his father-in-law told him that it was in bad form./ Contrast: IN GOOD FORM.
[in behalf of] or [on behalf of] {prep.}, {formal} 1. In place of; as a representative of; for. •/John accepted the championship award on behalf of the team./ 2. As a help to; for the good of. •/The minister worked hard all his life in behalf of the poor./ Compare: IN ONE’S BEHALF IN ONE’S FAVOR.
[in black and white] See: BLACK AND WHITE.
[in brief] or [in short] or [in a word] {adv. phr.} Briefly; to give the meaning of what has been said or written in a word or in a few words; in summary. •/The children could play as long as they liked, they had no work to do, and nobody scolded them; in short, they were happy./ •/The speaker didn’t know his subject, nor did he speak well; in brief, he was disappointing./ •/John is smart, polite, and well-behaved. In a word, he is admirable./
[in cahoots with] See: IN LEAGUE WITH.
[in case]{adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. In order to be prepared; as a precaution; if there is need. — Usually used in the phrase "just in case". •/The bus is usually on time, but start early, just in case./ •/The big dog was tied up, but John carried a stick, just in case./ 2. [in case] or [in the event] {conj.} If it happens that; if it should happen that; if; lest. •/Tom took his skates in case they found a place to skate./ •/Let me know in case you’re not coming./ •/The night watchman is in the store in case there is ever afire./ •/Keep the window closed in case it rains./ •/I stayed home in case you called./ •/In the event that our team wins, there will be a big celebration./ •/What shall we do in case it snows?/
[in case of] also [in the event of] {prep.} In order to meet the possibility of; lest there is; if there is; if there should be. •/Take your umbrellas in case of rain./ •/The wall was built along the river in case of floods./
[inch] See: BY INCHES, EVERY INCH, GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, WITHIN AN ACE OF or WITHIN AN INCH OF, WITHIN AN INCH OF ONE’S LIFE.
[inch (one’s way) along]{v. phr.} To. proceed slowly and with difficulty. •/When the electricity failed, it took John half an hour to inch his way along the corridors of the office building./
[in character]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. In agreement with a person’s character or personality; in the way that a person usually behaves or is supposed to behave; as usual; characteristic; typical; suitable. •/John was very rude at the party, and that was not in character because he is usually very polite./ •/The way Judy comforted the little girl was in character. She did it gently and kindly./ 2. Suitable for the part or the kind of part being acted; natural to the way a character in a book or play is supposed to act. •/The fat actor in the movie was in character because the character he played was supposed to be fat and jolly./ •/It would not have been in character for Robin Hood to steal from a poor man./ Contrast: OUT OF CHARACTER.
[in charge]{adv.} or {adj. phr.}, 1. In authority or control; in a position to care for or supervise; responsible. •/If you have any questions, ask the boss. He’s in charge./ 2. Under care or supervision. •/The sick man was taken in charge by the doctor./ •/During your visit to the library, you will be in the librarian’s charge./ Compare: TAKE CARE OF.
[in charge of]{prep.} 1. Responsible for; having supervision or care of. •/Marian is in charge of selling tickets./ •/The girl in charge of refreshments forgot to order the ice cream for the party./ •/When our class had a play, the teacher put Harold in charge of the stage curtain./ 2. or [in the charge of] Under the care or supervision of. •/Mother puts the baby in the charge of the baby-sitter while she is out./ •/The money was given in charge of Mr. Jackson for safekeeping./
[in check]{adv. phr.} In a position where movement or action is not allowed or stopped; under control; kept quiet or back. •/The boy was too small to keep the big dog in check, and the dog broke away from his leash./ •/The soldiers tried to keep the attacking Indians in check until help came./ •/Mary couldn’t hold her feelings in check any longer and began to cry./
[in circles] See: IN A CIRCLE.
[in circulation] or [into circulation] {adj. phr.}, {informal} Going around and doing things as usual; joining what others are doing, •/John broke his leg and was out of school for several weeks, but now he is back in circulation again./ •/Mary’s mother punished her by stopping her from dating for two weeks, but then she got hack into circulation./ Contrast: OUT OF CIRCULATION.
[inclined to]{adj. phr.} Having a tendency to; positively disposed toward. •/I am inclined to fall asleep after a heavy meal./
[in clover] or [in the clover] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} In rich comfort; rich or successful; having a pleasant or easy life. •/They live in clover because their father is rich./ •/When we finish the hard part we’ll be in the clover./ Compare: BED OF ROSES, LIFE OF RILEY, LIVE HIGH OFF THE HOG, ON EASY STREET.
[in cold blood]{adv. phr.} Without feeling or pity; in a purposely cruel way; coolly and deliberately. •/The bank robbers planned to shoot in cold blood anyone who got in their way./ •/The bandits planned to murder in cold blood all farmers in the village by the river./
[in command]{adv. phr.} In control of; in charge. •/Helen is in command of the situation./
[in commission] or [into commission] {adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. On duty or ready to be put on duty by a naval or military service; in active service. •/The old battleship has been in commission for twenty years./ •/It took many months to build the new bomber, and now it is ready to be put into commission./ 2. In proper condition; in use or ready for use; working; running. •/The wheel of my bicycle was broken, but it is back in commission now./ Compare: IN ORDER(2). Contrast: OUT OF COMMISSION(2).
[in common]{adv. phr.} Shared together or equally; in use or ownership by all. •/Mr. and Mrs. Smith own the store in common./ •/The four boys grew up together and have a lot in common./ •/The swimming pool is used in common by all the children in the neighborhood./ Compare: COMMON GROUND.
[in condition] See: IN SHAPE.
[in consequence]{adv. phr.} As a result; therefore; so. •/Jennie got up late, and in consequence she missed the bus./ •/You studied hard, and in consequence you passed the test./
[in consequence of]{prep.}, {formal} As a result of. •/In consequence of the deep snow, school will not open today./ •/In consequence of his promise to pay for the broken window, Bill was not punished./ Compare: BECAUSE OF, ON ACCOUNT OF.
[in consideration of]{adv. phr.} 1. After thinking about and weighing; because of. •/iN consideration of the boy’s young age, the judge did not put him in jail for carrying a gun./ 2. In exchange for; because of; in payment for. •/In consideration of the extra work Joe had done, his boss gave him an extra week’s pay./ Compare: IN RETURN.
