[in consideration of]{adv. phr.} 1. After thinking about and weighing; because of. β’/iN consideration of the boyβs young age, the judge did not put him in jail for carrying a gun./ 2. In exchange for; because of; in payment for. β’/In consideration of the extra work Joe had done, his boss gave him an extra weekβs pay./ Compare: IN RETURN.
[in days] or [weeks] or [years to come] {adv. phr.} In the future. β’/In the years to come I will be thinking of my fatherβs advice about life./
[in deep]{adj. phr.} Seriously mixed up in something, especially trouble. β’/George began borrowing small sums of money to bet on horses, and before he knew it he was in deep./ Compare: DEEP WATER, UP TO THE CHIN IN.
[in deep water] See: DEEP WATER.
[in defiance of]{prep.} Acting against; in disobedience to. β’/The girl chewed gum in defiance of the teacherβs rule./ β’/Bob stayed up late in defiance of the coachβs orders./
[in demand]{adj. phr.} Needed; wanted. β’/Men to shovel snow were in demand after the snow storm./ β’/The book about dogs was much in demand in the library./
[Indian] See: CIGAR-STORE INDIAN.
[Indian giver]{n. phr.} A person who gives one something, but later asks for it back.βββAn ethnic slur; avoidable. β’/John gave me a beautiful fountain pen, but a week later, like an Indian giver, he wanted it back./
[Indian sign]{n.}, {informal} A magic spell that is thought to bring bad luck; curse; jinx; hoo-doo.βββUsed with "the", usually after "have" or "with"; and often used in a joking way. β’/Bill is a good player, but Ted has the Indian sign on him and always beats him./ β’/Father says that he always wins our checker games because he has put the Indian sign on me, but I think he is joking./ Compare: GET ONEβS NUMBER.
[Indian summer]{n. phr.} A dry and warm period of time late in the fall, usually in October. β’/After the cold and foggy weather, we had a brief Indian summer, during which the temperature was up in the high seventies./
[in dispute]{adj. phr.} Disagreed about; being argued. β’/The penalty ordered by the referee was in dispute by one of the teams./ β’/Everyone in the clans wanted to say something about the subject in dispute./
[in doubt]{adv. phr.} In the dark; having some question or uncertainty. β’/When in doubt about any of the words youβre using, consult a good dictionary./
[in due course] or [in due season] or [in due time] See: IN GOOD TIME(2).
[in due season] or [in due time] See: IN GOOD TIME.
[industrial park]{n.} A complex of industrial buildings and/or businesses usually located far from the center of a city in a setting especially landscaped to make such buildings look better. β’/The nearest supermarket that sells car tires is at the industrial park twenty miles from downtown./
[in Dutch]{adj. phr.}, {slang} In trouble. β’/George got in Dutch with his father when he broke a window./ β’/John was in Dutch with his mother because he tore his new jacket./
[in earnest]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} Seriously; in a determined way. β’/The beaver was building his dam in earnest./ β’/Bill did his homework in earnest./βββOften used like a predicate adjective. Sometimes used with "dead", for emphasis. β’/Bettyβs friends thought she was joking when she said she wanted to be a doctor, but she was in dead earnest./
[in effect]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. The same in meaning or result. β’/The teacher gave the same assignment, in effect, that she gave yesterday./ β’/Helping your mother with the dishes is in effect earning your allowance./ 2. Necessary to obey; being enforced. β’/The coach says that players must be in bed by midnight, and that rule is in effect tonight./ Syn.: IN FORCE.
[in effigy] See: HANG IN EFFIGY or BURN IN EFFIGY.
[in error]{adv. phr.} Wrong; mistaken. β’/You were in error when you assumed that he would wait for us./
[in evidence]{adj. phr.} Easily seen; noticeable. β’/The little boyβs measles were very much in evidence./ β’/The tulips were blooming; spring was in evidence./
[in fact] also [in point of fact] {adv. phr.} Really truthfully.βββOften used for emphasis. β’/No one believed it but, in fact, Mary did get an A on her book report./ β’/It was a very hot day; in fact, it was 100 degrees./ Compare: MATTER OF FACT.
[in favor of]{prep.} On the side of; in agreement with, β’/Everyone in the class voted in favor of the party./ β’/Most girls are in favor of wearing lipstick./ Compare: IN BACK OF(2).
[in fear and trembling] See: FEAR AND TREMBLING.
[in fear of]{adj. phr.} Fearful of; afraid of. β’/They live so close to the border that they are constantly in fear of an enemy attack./
[in for]{prep.}, {informal} Unable to avoid; sure to get. β’/The naughty puppy was in for a spanking./ β’/On Christmas morning we are in for some surprises./ β’/We saw Father looking angrily out of the broken window, and we knew we were in for it./ Compare: HAVE IT IN FOR.
[in force]{adj. phr.} 1. To be obeyed. β’/New times for eating meals are now in force./ Syn.: IN EFFECT. 2. In a large group. β’/People went to see the parade in force./ Syn.: EN MASSE.
[in front of] prep. Ahead of; before. β’/The rabbit was running in front of the dog./ β’/A big oak tree stood in front of the building./ Contrast: IN BACK OF(1).
[in full swing]{adj. phr.} Actively going on; in full action. β’/The Valentine party was in full swing./ β’/All of the children were planting seeds; the gardening project was in full swing./
[in fun] See: FOR FUN.
[in general(1)]{adv. phr.} Usually; very often. β’/In general, mother makes good cookies./ β’/The weather in Florida is warm in general./ Compare: ON THE WHOLE(2).
[in general(2)]{adj. phr.} Most; with few exceptions. β’/Women in general like to shop for new clothes./ β’/Boys in general like active sports more than girls do./ Contrast: IN PARTICULAR.
[in glass houses] See: PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROW STONES.
[in good]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Well liked; accepted.βββUsed with "with". β’/The boy washed the blackboards so that he would get in good with Iris teacher./ β’/Although Tom was younger, he was in good with the older boys./ Compare: ON ONEβS GOOD SIDE. Contrast: IN BAD.
[in good faith] See: GOOD FAITH.
[in good form] Contrast: IN BAD FORM.
[in good season] See: IN GOOD TIME.
[in good stead] See: STAND IN GOOD STEAD.
[in good time] or [in good season] {adv. phr.} 1. A little early; sooner than necessary. β’/The school bus arrived in good time./ β’/The students finished their school work in good time./ β’/We reached the station in good season to catch the 9:15 bus for New York./ 2. or [in due course] or [in due season] or [in due time] In the usual amount of time; at the right time; in the end. β’/Spring and summer will arrive in due course./ β’/Sally finished her spelling in due course./
[in great measure]{adv. phr.} To a great extent; largely. β’/The Japanese attack on Hawaii was in great measure a contributing factor to President Rooseveltβs decision to enter World War II./ Compare: TO A LARGE EXTENT.
[in half]{adv. phr.} 1. Into two equal parts. β’/The ticket taker at the football game tore the tickets in half./ β’/Mother cut the apple in half so each child could have an equal share./ Syn.: IN TWO. 2. To half the size before; to one half as big. β’/As a punishment, Father cut Bobβs allowance in half./
[in hand]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Under control. β’/The principal was happy to find that the new teacher had her class in hand./ β’/The baby-sitter kept the children well in hand./ β’/Mabel was frightened when the barking dog ran at her, but she soon got herself in hand and walked on./ Contrast: OUT OF HAND. 2. In your possession; with you.βββOften used in the phrase "cash in hand". β’/Tom figured that his cash in hand with his weekly pay would be enough to buy a car./ Compare: ON HAND. 3. Being worked on; with you to do. β’/We should finish the work we have in hand before we begin something new./
[in honor of]{prep.} As an honor to; for showing respect or thanks to. β’/We celebrate Motherβs Day in honor of our mothers./ β’/The city dedicated a monument in honor of the general./
[in hopes]{adj. phr.} Hopeful; hoping. β’/The Mayor was in hopes of having a good day for the parade./ β’/Mother was in hopes that the cake would be good to eat./
[in horror] See: THROW UP ONEβS HANDS IN HORROR.
[in hot water] See: HOT WATER.
[in] or [into orbit] {adj. phr.} Thrilled; exuberantly happy; in very high spirits. β’/When Carol won the lottery she went right into orbit./
[in] or [into the clear] {adj. phr.} Free; cleared of all responsibility and guilt. β’/Because of the new evidence found, Sam is still in the clear, but Harry is still behind bars./
[in] or [into the doldrums] {adj. phr.} Inactive; sluggish; depressed. β’/The news of our factoryβs going out of business put all of us in the doldrums./
[in] or [into the limelight] {adj. phr.} In the center of attention. β’/Some people will do almost anything to be able to step into the limelight./ Compare: IN THE SPOTLIGHT.
[in itself] See: END IN ITSELF.
[injury] See: ADD INSULT TO INJURY.
[in keeping]{adj. phr.} Going well together; agreeing; similar. β’/Maryβs hair style was in keeping with the latest fashion./ β’/Having an assembly on Friday morning was in keeping with the school program./ Contrast: OUT OF KEEPING.
[in kind]{adv. phr.} In a similar way; with the same kind of thing. β’/My neighbor pays me in kind for walking her dog./ β’/Low returned Maryβs insult in kind./
[in knots] See: TIE IN KNOTS.
[in league with] or {informal} [in cahoots with] {prep.} In secret agreement or partnership with (someone); working together secretly with, especially for harm. β’/People once believed that some women were witches in league with the devil./ β’/The mayorβs enemies spread a rumor that he was in cahoots with gangsters./
[in left field] See: OUT IN LEFT FIELD.
[in lieu of] See: INSTEAD OF.
[in light of] also [in the light of] {adj. phr.} 1. As a result of new information; by means of new ideas. β’/The teacher changed Johnβs grade in the light of the extra work in the workbook./ 2. Because of. β’/In light of the muddy field, the football team wore their old uniforms./ Syn.: IN VIEW OF.
[in line(1)]{adv. phr.} In or into a straight line. β’/The boys stood in line to buy their tickets./ β’/Tom set the chairs in line along the wall./ β’/The carpenter put the edges of the boards in line./
[in line(2)]{adj. phr.} 1. In a position in a series or after someone else. β’/John is in line for the presidency of the club next year./ β’/Mary is fourth in line to be admitted to the sorority./ 2. Obeying or agreeing with what is right or usual; doing or being what people expect or accept; within ordinary or proper limits. β’/The coach kept the excited team in line./ β’/When the teacher came back into the room, she quickly brought the class back in line./ β’/The government passed a new law to keep prices in line./ Compare: IN HAND. Contrast: OUT OF LINE.
[in line with]{prep.} In agreement with. β’/Behavior at school parties must be in line with school rules./ β’/In line with the custom of the school, the students had a holiday between Christmas and New Yearβs Day./