[in that]{conj.} For the reason that; because. •/I like the city, but I like the country better in that I have more friends in the country./
[in the air]{adv. phr.} 1. In everyone’s thoughts. •/Christmas was in the air for weeks before./ •/The war filled people’s thoughts every day; it was in the air./ Compare: IN THE WIND. 2. Meeting the bodily senses; surrounding you so as to be smelled or felt. •/Spring is in the air./ •/Rain is in the air./ 3. See: LEAVE HANGING, UP IN THE AIR.
[in the back] See: STAB IN THE BACK.
[in the bag]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Sure to be won or gotten; certain. •/Jones had the election in the bag after the shameful news about his opponent came out./ •/We thought we had the game in the bag./ Compare: SEWED UP.
[in the balance] See: HANG IN THE BALANCE.
[in the bargain] or [into the bargain] {adv. phr.} In addition; besides; also. •/Frank is a teacher, and an artist into the bargain./ •/The heat failed, and then the roof began to leak in the bargain./ Compare: TO BOOT, FOR GOOD MEASURE.
[in the black]{adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} In a successful or profitable way; so as to make money. •/The big store was running in the black./ •/A business must stay in the black to keep on./ Contrast: IN THE RED.
[in the blood] See: RUN IN THE BLOOD or RUN IN THE FAMILY.
[in the bud] See: NIP IN THE BUD.
[in the can]{adj.}, {slang}, {movie jargon} Ready; finished; completed; about to be duplicated and distributed to exhibitors. •/No sneak previews until it’s all in the can!/ •/Once my book’s in the can, I’ll go for a vacation./
[in the cards] also [on the cards] {adj. phr.}, {informal} To be expected; likely to happen; foreseeable; predictable. •/It was in the cards for the son to succeed his father as head of the business./ •/John finally decided that it wasn’t in the cards for him to succeed with that company./
[in the charge of] See: IN CHARGE OF(2).
[in the chips]{slang} or {informal} [in the money] {adj. phr.} Having plenty of money; prosperous; rich. •/After his rich uncle died, Richard was in the chips./ •/After years of struggle and dependence, air transportation is in the money./ Compare: ON EASY STREET, WELL-TO-DO.
[in the circumstances] See: UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
[in the clear]{adj. phr.} 1. Free of anything that makes moving or seeing difficult; with nothing to limit action. •/The plane climbed above the clouds and was flying in the clear./ •/Jack passed the ball to Tim, who was in the clear and ran for a touchdown./ 2. {informal} Free of blame or suspicion; not thought to be guilty. •/After John told the principal that he broke the window, Martin was in the clear./ •/Steve was the last to leave the locker room, and the boys suspected him of stealing Tom’s watch, but the coach found the watch and put Steve in the clear./ 3. Free of debt; not owing money to anyone. •/Bob borrowed a thousand dollars from his father to start his business, but at the end of the first year he was in the clear./ Syn.: IN THE BLACK.
[in the clouds]{adj. phr.} Far from real life; in dreams; in fancy; in thought. •/When Alice agreed to marry Jim, Jim went home in the clouds./ — Often used with "head", "mind", "thoughts". •/Mary is looking out the window, not at the chalkboard; her head is in the clouds again./ •/A good teacher should have his head in the clouds sometimes, but his feet always on the ground./ Contrast: COME BACK TO EARTH, FEET ON THE GROUND.
[in the clover] See: IN CLOVER.
[in the cold] See: OUT IN THE COLD.
[in the cold light of day]{adv. phr.} After sleeping on it; after giving it more thought; using common sense and looking at the matter unemotionally and realistically. •/Lost night my ideas seemed terrific, but in the cold light of day I realize that they won’t work./
[in the dark]{adj. phr.} 1. In ignorance; without information. •/John was in the dark about the job he was being sent to./ •/If the government controls the news, it can keep people in the dark on any topic it chooses./ •/Mary had a letter from Sue yesterday, but she was left in the dark about Sue’s plans to visit her./ Contrast: IN THE KNOW. See: WHISTLE IN THE DARK.
[in the doghouse]{adj. phr.}, {slang} In disgrace or disfavor. •/Our neighbor got in the doghouse with his wife by coming home drunk./ •/Jerry is in the doghouse because he dropped the ball, and the other team won because of that./ Compare: DOWN ON.
[in the door] See: FOOT IN THE DOOR.
[in the driver’s seat]{adv. phr.} In control; having the power to make decisions. •/Stan is in the driver’s seat now that he has been made our supervisor at the factory./
[in the dumps] See: DOWN IN THE DUMPS.
[in the event] See: IN CASE(1).
[in the event of] See: IN CASE OF.
[in the eye] See: LOOK IN THE EYE.
[in the face] See: BLUE IN THE FACE, LOOK IN THE EYE or LOOK IN THE FACE, SLAP IN THE FACE, STARE IN THE FACE.
[in the face of]{adv. phr.} 1. When met or in the presence of; threatened by. •/He was brave in the face of danger./ •/She began to cry in the face of failure./ 2. Although opposed by; without being stopped by. •/Talking continued even in the face of the teacher’s command to stop./ Syn.: IN SPITE OF. Compare: FLY IN THE FACE OF, IN ONE’S FACE. 3. See: FLY IN THE PACE OF.
[in the family] See: RUN IN THE BLOOD or RUN IN THE FAMILY.
[in the first place]{adv. phr.} 1. Before now; in the beginning; first. •/You already ate breakfast! Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place instead of saying you didn’t want to eat?/ •/Carl patched his old football but it soon leaked again. He should have bought a new one in the first place./ 2. See: IN THE PLACE.
[in the flesh] See: IN PERSON.
[in the groove]{adj. phr.}, {slang} Doing something very well; near perfection; at your best. •/The band was right in the groove that night./ •/It was an exciting football game; every player was really in the groove./
[in the hole]{adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} 1a. Having a score lower than zero in a game, especially a card game; to a score below zero. •/John went three points in the hole on the first hand of the card game./ 1b. Behind an opponent; in difficulty in a sport or game. •/We had their pitcher in the hole with the bases full and no one out./ Compare: ON THE SPOT. 2. In debt; behind financially. •/John went in the hole with his hot dog stand./ •/It’s a lot easier to get in the hole than to get out again./ Compare: IN A HOLE, IN THE RED. Contrast: OUT OF THE HOLE.
[in the know]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Knowing about things that most people do not know about; knowing secrets or understanding a special subject. •/Tina helped Professor Smith make some of the exam questions, and she felt important to be in the know./ •/In a print shop, Mr. Harvey is in the know, but in a kitchen he can’t even cook an egg./ Compare: GET WISE. Contrast: IN THE DARK.
[in the lap of luxury]{adv. phr.} Well supplied with luxuries; having most things that money can buy. •/Mike grew up in the lap of luxury./ Compare: ON EASY STREET, WELL-TO-DO.
[in the lap of the gods] also [on the knees of the gods] {adv. phr.}, {literary} Beyond human control; not to be decided by anyone. •/Frank had worked hard as a candidate, and as election day came he felt that the result was in the lap of the gods./ •/The armies were evenly matched and the result of the battle seemed to be on the knees of the gods./
[in the least]{adv. phr.} Even a little; in any degree or amount. — Used in negative, interrogative, and conditional sentences. •/Sue did not understand physics in the least./ •/Are you in the least interested in sewing?/ •/Mother won’t be upset if you come for supper; I’ll be surprised if she cares in the least./ •/Mike was not upset in the least by the storm./ •/It is no trouble to help you. Not in the least./ Compare: AT ALL.
[in the line of duty]{adj. phr.} Done or happening as part of a job. •/The policeman was shot in the line of duty./ •/The soldier had to clean his rifle in the line of duty./
[in the long run]{adv. phr.} In the end; in the final result. •/John knew that lie could make a success of the little weekly paper in the long run./ •/You may make good grades by studying only before examinations, but you will succeed in the long run only by studying hard every day./
[in the lurch] See: LEAVE IN THE LURCH.
[in the main]{adv. phr.}, {formal} In most cases; generally; usually. •/In the main, small boys and dogs are good friends./ •/In the main, the pupils did well on the test./
[in the market for]{adj. phr.} Wishing to buy; ready to buy. •/Mr. Jones is in the market for a new car./ •/People are always in the market for entertainment./
[in the middle]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In between two sides of an argument; caught between two dangers. •/Mary found herself in the middle of the quarrel between Joyce and Ethel./ •/John promised Tom to go fishing, but his father wanted him to help at home. John was in the middle./
[in the middle of nowhere]{adv. phr.} In a deserted, faraway place. •/When my car stopped on the highway in the middle of nowhere, it took forever to get help./
[in the money] See: IN THE CHIPS.
[in the mood (for)]{adj. phr.} 1. Interested in doing something. •/Sorry, I’m just not in the mood for a heavy dinner tonight./ 2. Feeling sexy. •/I am sorry, darling, I am just not in the mood tonight./
[in the mouth] See: LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH.
[in the neck] See: CATCH IT IN THE NECK or GET IT IN THE NECK.
[in the nick of time]{adv. phr.} Just at the right time; barely soon enough; almost too late. •/The doctor arrived in the nick of time to save the child from choking to death./ •/Joe saw the other car in the nick of time./ Compare: IN TIME.
[in the pink] or [in the pink of condition] {adj. phr.}, {informal} In excellent health; strong and well; in fine shape. •/Mr. Merrick had aged well; he was one of those old men who always seem in the pink of condition./ •/After a practice and a rubdown, Joe felt in the pink./
[in the --- place]{adv. phr.} As the (first or second or third, etc.) thing in order or importance; first, second, or third, etc. — Used with "first", "second", "third", and other ordinal numbers. •/No, you cannot go swimming. In the first place, the water is too cold; and, in the second place, there is not time enough before dinner./ •/Stealing is wrong, in the first place, because it hurts others, and, in the second place, because it hurts you./ Compare: FOR ONE THING.
[in the prime of life]{adv. phr.} At the peak of one’s creative abilities; during the most productive years. •/Poor John lost his job due to restructuring when he was in the prime of his life./
[in the public eye]{adj. phr.} Widely known; often seen in public activity; much in the news. •/The senator’s activity kept him in the public eye./ •/A big league ballplayer is naturally much in the public eye./
[in the raw]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} 1. In the simplest or most natural way; with no frills. •/Henry enjoyed going into the woods and living life in the raw./ 2. {informal} Without any clothing; naked. •/In the summer the boys slept in the raw./
[in the red]{adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} In an unprofitable way; so as to lose money. •/A large number of American radio stations operate in the red./ •/A rich man who has a farm or ranch often runs it in the red, but makes his money with his factory or business./ Contrast: IN THE BLACK. (From the fact that people who keep business records usually write in red ink how much money they lose and in black ink how much money they gain.)
