[in line with]{prep.} In agreement with. •/Behavior at school parties must be in line with school rules./ •/In line with the custom of the school, the students had a holiday between Christmas and New Year’s Day./
[in love]{adj. phr.} Liking very much; loving. •/John is in love with Helen./ •/Tom and Ellen arc in love./ •/Mary is in love with her new wristwatch./
[in luck]{adj. phr.} Being lucky; having good luck; finding something good by chance. •/Bill was in luck when he found the money on the street./ •/Mary dropped her glasses and they did not break. She was in luck./
[in memory of]{prep.} As something that makes people remember (a person or thing); as a reminder of; as a memorial to. •/The building was named Ford Hall in memory of a man named James Ford./ •/Many special ceremonies are in memory of famous men./
[in midair] See: UP IN THE AIR(2).
[in mind]{adv. phr.} 1. In the center of your thought; in your close attention. •/You have to be home by 11 o’clock. Keep that in mind, Bob./ •/Mary is studying hard with a good grade in mind./ •/Bear in mind the rules of safety when you swim./ Compare: ON ONE’S MIND. 2. See: PUT IN MIND OF.
[in mint condition]{adj. phr.} Excellent; as good as new. •/Grandma seldom uses her car; it is already ten years old, but it is still in mint condition./
[in my book] See: BY MY BOOK.
[in name]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} Having a title, but not really doing what someone with the title is expected to do. •/The old man is a doctor in name only. He does not have patients now./ •/He was the captain of the team in name only./
[in need of]{adj. phr.} Destitute; lacking something. •/The young girl is so ill that she is seriously in need of medical attention./
[inner city]{n.}, {colloquial} Densely populated neighborhoods in large metropolitan areas inhabited by low income families usually of minority backgrounds, such as Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, or African Americans; characterized by slums and government-owned high rises. •/Joe comes from the inner city — he may need help with his reading./
[in nothing flat] See: IN NO TIME.
[in no time] or [in nothing flat] {adv. phr.}, {informal} In a very little time; soon; quickly. •/When the entire class worked together they finished the project in no time./ •/The bus filled with students in nothing flat./
[in no uncertain terms] See: IN SO MANY WORDS(2).
[in on]{prep.} 1. Joining together for. •/The children collected money from their classmates and went in on a present for their teacher./ 2. Told about; having knowledge of. •/Bob was in on the secret./ •/The other girls wouldn’t let Mary in on what they knew./
[in one ear and out the other] See: GO IN ONE EAR AND OUT THE OTHER.
[in one fell swoop] or [at one fell swoop] {adv. phr.} 1. {literary} In one attack or accident; in one bad blow. •/The millionaire lost his money and his friends at one fell swoop./ 2. At one time; at the same time. •/Three cars drove into the driveway, and Mrs. Crane’s dinner guests all arrived at one fell swoop./
[in one’s bad graces]{adj. phr.} Not approved by; not liked by. •/John was in his mother’s bad graces because he spilled his milk on the tablecloth./ •/Don got in the bad graces of the teacher by laughing at her hat./ Compare: DOWN ON, IN BAD, OUT OF FAVOR. Contrast: IN ONE S GOOD GRACES.
[in one’s behalf] or [on one’s behalf] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. For someone else; in your place. •/My husband could not be here tonight, but I want to thank you on his behalf./ 2. For the good of another person or group; as a help to someone. •/My teacher went to the factory and spoke in my behalf when I was looking for a job./ Compare: IN BEHALF OF, ON ONE’S ACCOUNT.
[in one’s blood] or [into one’s blood] {adv. phr.} Agreeing perfectly with one’s sympathies, feelings, and desires. •/Living in a warm section of the country gets in your blood./ •/The woods got into Jim’s blood./ Contrast: OUT OF ONE’S BLOOD.
[in one’s bones] See: FEEL IN ONE’S BONES.
[in one’s boots] See: DIE IN ONE’S BOOTS or DIE WITH ONE’S BOOTS ON, IN ONE’S SHOES also IN ONE’S BOOTS.
[in one’s craw] or [in one’s crop] See: STICK IN ONE’S CRAW or STICK IN ONE’S CROP.
[in one’s cups]{adj. phr.}, {literary} Drunk. •/The man was in his cups and talking very loudly./
[in one’s element]{adv. phr.} 1. In one’s natural surroundings. •/The deep-sea fish is in his element in deep ocean water./ 2. Where you can do your best. •/John is in his element working on the farm./ Compare: AT HOME 2. Contrast: OUT OF ONE’S ELEMENT.
[in one’s face]{adv. phr.} 1. Against your face. •/The trick cigar blew up in the clown’s face./ •/A cold wind was in our faces as we walked to school./ 2. In front of you. •/The maid slammed the door in the salesman’s face./ •/I told the boys that they were wrong, but they laughed in my face./ Compare: IN THE FACE OF, THROW SOMETHING IN ONE’S FACE, TO ONE’S FACE, UNDER ONE’S NOSE.
[in one’s favor]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In a way that is good for you. •/Both teams claimed the point, but the referee decided in our favor./ •/Bob made good grades in high school, and that was in his favor when he looked for a job./ Compare: COME ONE’S WAY.
[in one’s footsteps] See: FOLLOW IN ONE’S FOOTSTEPS.
[in one’s glory]{adj. phr.} Pleased and contented with yourself. •/When John won the race, he was in his glory./ •/Tom is very vain, and praise puts him in his glory./
[in one’s good books] See: IN ONE’S GOOD GRACES.
[in one’s good graces] or [in one’s good books] {adv. phr.} Approved of by you; liked by someone. •/Ruth is in her mother’s good graces because she ate all her supper./ •/Bill is back in the good graces of his girlfriend because he gave her a box of candy./ Compare: IN GOOD. Contrast: IN ONE’S BAD GRACES.
[in one’s grave] See: TURN IN ONE’S GRAVE or TURN OVER IN ONE’S GRAVE.
[in one’s hair]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Bothering you again and again; always annoying. •/Johnny got in Father’s hair when he was trying to read the paper by running and shouting./ •/The grown-ups sent the children out to play so that the children wouldn’t be in their hair while they were talking./ Compare: GIVE A HARD TIME, IN ONE’S WAY. Contrast: OUT OF ONE’S HAIR.
[in one’s hands] See: TAKE ONE’S LIFE IN ONE’S HANDS.
[in one’s heart of hearts]{adv. phr.} Deep down where it really matters; in one’s innermost feelings. •/In my heart of hearts, I think you’re the nicest person in the whole world./
[in one’s mind’s eye]{adv. phr.} In the memory; in the imagination. •/In his mind’s eye he saw again the house he had lived in when he was a child./ •/In his mind’s eye, he could see just what the vacation was going to be like./
[in one’s mouth] See: BUTTER WOULDN’T MELT IN ONE’S MOUTH, MELT IN ONE’S MOUTH.
[in one’s own juice] See: STEW IN ONE’S OWN JUICE.
[in one’s right mind]{adj. phr.} Accountable; sane and sober. •/If you were in your right mind, you wouldn’t be saying such stupid things to our boss./
[in one’s shell] or [into one’s shell] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} In or into bashfulness; into silence; not sociable; unfriendly. •/After Mary’s mother scolded her, she went into her shell./ •/The teacher tried to get Rose to talk to her, but she stayed in her shell./ Contrast: OUT OF ONE’S SHELL.
[in one’s shoes] also [in one’s boots] {adv. phr.} In or into one’s place or position. •/How would you like to be in a lion tamer’s boots?/ Compare: PUT ONESELF IN ANOTHER’S PLACE, STEP INTO ONE’S SHOES.
[in one’s sleeve] See: UP ONE’S SLEEVE.
[in one’s tracks]{adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Just where one is at the moment; abruptly; immediately. •/The hunter’s rifle cracked and the rabbit dropped in his tracks./ •/Mary stopped dead in her tracks, turned around, and ran back home./ Syn.: ON THE SPOT(1), THEN AND THERE. 2. See: FOLLOW IN ONE’S FOOTSTEPS.
[in one’s way]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Within reach; likely to be met; before you. •/The chance to work for a printer was put in my way./ Compare: PUT IN THE WAY OF. 2. or [in the way] In your path as a hindrance; placed so as to block the way. •/Fred tried to get to the door, but the table was in the way./ •/A tree had fallen across the street and was in Jim’s way as he drove./ •/Mary tried to clean the house, but the baby was always in the way./
[in order]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. In arrangement; in the proper way of following one another. •/Come to my desk in alphabetical order as I call your names./ •/Line up and walk to the door in order./ •/Name all the presidents in order./ Compare: IN TURN. 2. In proper condition. •/The car was in good working order when I bought it./ •/The club leader looked at the club treasurer’s records of money collected and spent, and found them all in order./ Compare: IN COMMISSION(2), PUT ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER. 3. Following the rules; proper; suitable. •/Is it in order to ask the speaker questions at the meeting?/ •/At the end of a program, applause for the performers is in order./ Compare: IN PLACE. Contrast: OUT OF ORDER. 4. See: PUT ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER or SET ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER.
[in order that] See: SO THAT(1).
[in order to] or [so as to] {conj.} For the purpose of; to. — Used with an infinitive. •/In order to follow the buffalo, the Indians often had to move their camps./ •/We picked apples so as to make a pie./ Compare: SO THAT.
[in part]{adv. phr.} To some extent; partly; not wholly. — Often used with "large" or "small". •/We planted the garden in pan with flowers. But in large part we planted vegetables./ •/Tom was only in small part responsible./
[in particular]{adv. phr.} In a way apart from others; more than others; particularly; especially. •/The speaker talked about sports in general and about football In particular./ •/All the boys played well and Bill in particular./ •/Margaret liked all her classes, but she liked sewing class in particular./ Contrast: IN GENERAL.
[in passing]{adv. phr.} While talking about that subject; as extra information; also. •/Our teacher showed us different kinds of flowers and told us in passing that those flowers came from her garden./ •/The writer of the story says he grew up in New York and mentions in passing that his parents came from Italy./ Compare: BY THE WAY.
[in person] also [in the flesh] {adv. phr.} Yourself; personally. •/A TV actor appeared in person today in school./ •/The governor cannot march in the parade in person today, but his wife wilt march./ Compare: FACE-TO-FACE(2). Contrast: INSTEAD OF.
[in place(1)]{adv. phr.} 1a. In the right or usual place or position. •/Nothing is in place after the earthquake. Even trees and houses are turned over./ •/The picture is not in place on the wall. It is crooked./ 1b. In one place. •/Our first exercise in gym class was running in place./ 2. In proper order. •/Stay in place in line, children./ Compare: IN ORDER. Contrast: OUT OF PLACE.
[in place(2)]{adj. phr.} In the right place or at the right time; suitable; timely. •/A dog is not in place in a church./ •/Linda wondered if it would be in place to wish the bride good luck after the wedding./ Compare: IN ORDER(1). Contrast: OUT OF PLACE.
[in place of] See: INSTEAD OF.
