[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./
[in love]{adj. phr.} Liking very much; loving. β’/John is in love with Helen./ β’/Tom and Ellen arc in love./ β’/Mary is in love with her new wristwatch./
[in luck]{adj. phr.} Being lucky; having good luck; finding something good by chance. β’/Bill was in luck when he found the money on the street./ β’/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. β’/The building was named Ford Hall in memory of a man named James Ford./ β’/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. β’/You have to be home by 11 oβclock. Keep that in mind, Bob./ β’/Mary is studying hard with a good grade in mind./ β’/Bear in mind the rules of safety when you swim./ Compare: ON ONEβS MIND. 2. See: PUT IN MIND OF.
[in mint condition]{adj. phr.} Excellent; as good as new. β’/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. β’/The old man is a doctor in name only. He does not have patients now./ β’/He was the captain of the team in name only./
[in need of]{adj. phr.} Destitute; lacking something. β’/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. β’/Joe comes from the inner cityβββhe 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. β’/When the entire class worked together they finished the project in no time./ β’/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. β’/The children collected money from their classmates and went in on a present for their teacher./ 2. Told about; having knowledge of. β’/Bob was in on the secret./ β’/The other girls wouldnβt 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. β’/The millionaire lost his money and his friends at one fell swoop./ 2. At one time; at the same time. β’/Three cars drove into the driveway, and Mrs. Craneβs dinner guests all arrived at one fell swoop./
[in oneβs bad graces]{adj. phr.} Not approved by; not liked by. β’/John was in his motherβs bad graces because he spilled his milk on the tablecloth./ β’/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 oneβs behalf] or [on oneβs behalf] {adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. For someone else; in your place. β’/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. β’/My teacher went to the factory and spoke in my behalf when I was looking for a job./ Compare: IN BEHALF OF, ON ONEβS ACCOUNT.
[in oneβs blood] or [into oneβs blood] {adv. phr.} Agreeing perfectly with oneβs sympathies, feelings, and desires. β’/Living in a warm section of the country gets in your blood./ β’/The woods got into Jimβs blood./ Contrast: OUT OF ONEβS BLOOD.
[in oneβs bones] See: FEEL IN ONEβS BONES.
[in oneβs boots] See: DIE IN ONEβS BOOTS or DIE WITH ONEβS BOOTS ON, IN ONEβS SHOES also IN ONEβS BOOTS.
[in oneβs craw] or [in oneβs crop] See: STICK IN ONEβS CRAW or STICK IN ONEβS CROP.
[in oneβs cups]{adj. phr.}, {literary} Drunk. β’/The man was in his cups and talking very loudly./
[in oneβs element]{adv. phr.} 1. In oneβs natural surroundings. β’/The deep-sea fish is in his element in deep ocean water./ 2. Where you can do your best. β’/John is in his element working on the farm./ Compare: AT HOME 2. Contrast: OUT OF ONEβS ELEMENT.
[in oneβs face]{adv. phr.} 1. Against your face. β’/The trick cigar blew up in the clownβs face./ β’/A cold wind was in our faces as we walked to school./ 2. In front of you. β’/The maid slammed the door in the salesmanβs face./ β’/I told the boys that they were wrong, but they laughed in my face./ Compare: IN THE FACE OF, THROW SOMETHING IN ONEβS FACE, TO ONEβS FACE, UNDER ONEβS NOSE.
[in oneβs favor]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In a way that is good for you. β’/Both teams claimed the point, but the referee decided in our favor./ β’/Bob made good grades in high school, and that was in his favor when he looked for a job./ Compare: COME ONEβS WAY.
[in oneβs footsteps] See: FOLLOW IN ONEβS FOOTSTEPS.
[in oneβs glory]{adj. phr.} Pleased and contented with yourself. β’/When John won the race, he was in his glory./ β’/Tom is very vain, and praise puts him in his glory./
[in oneβs good books] See: IN ONEβS GOOD GRACES.
[in oneβs good graces] or [in oneβs good books] {adv. phr.} Approved of by you; liked by someone. β’/Ruth is in her motherβs good graces because she ate all her supper./ β’/Bill is back in the good graces of his girlfriend because he gave her a box of candy./ Compare: IN GOOD. Contrast: IN ONEβS BAD GRACES.
[in oneβs grave] See: TURN IN ONEβS GRAVE or TURN OVER IN ONEβS GRAVE.
[in oneβs hair]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Bothering you again and again; always annoying. β’/Johnny got in Fatherβs hair when he was trying to read the paper by running and shouting./ β’/The grown-ups sent the children out to play so that the children wouldnβt be in their hair while they were talking./ Compare: GIVE A HARD TIME, IN ONEβS WAY. Contrast: OUT OF ONEβS HAIR.
[in oneβs hands] See: TAKE ONEβS LIFE IN ONEβS HANDS.
[in oneβs heart of hearts]{adv. phr.} Deep down where it really matters; in oneβs innermost feelings. β’/In my heart of hearts, I think youβre the nicest person in the whole world./
[in oneβs mindβs eye]{adv. phr.} In the memory; in the imagination. β’/In his mindβs eye he saw again the house he had lived in when he was a child./ β’/In his mindβs eye, he could see just what the vacation was going to be like./
[in oneβs mouth] See: BUTTER WOULDNβT MELT IN ONEβS MOUTH, MELT IN ONEβS MOUTH.
[in oneβs own juice] See: STEW IN ONEβS OWN JUICE.
[in oneβs right mind]{adj. phr.} Accountable; sane and sober. β’/If you were in your right mind, you wouldnβt be saying such stupid things to our boss./
[in oneβs shell] or [into oneβs shell] {adv.} or {adj. phr.}, {informal} In or into bashfulness; into silence; not sociable; unfriendly. β’/After Maryβs mother scolded her, she went into her shell./ β’/The teacher tried to get Rose to talk to her, but she stayed in her shell./ Contrast: OUT OF ONEβS SHELL.
[in oneβs shoes] also [in oneβs boots] {adv. phr.} In or into oneβs place or position. β’/How would you like to be in a lion tamerβs boots?/ Compare: PUT ONESELF IN ANOTHERβS PLACE, STEP INTO ONEβS SHOES.
[in oneβs sleeve] See: UP ONEβS SLEEVE.
[in oneβs tracks]{adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Just where one is at the moment; abruptly; immediately. β’/The hunterβs rifle cracked and the rabbit dropped in his tracks./ β’/Mary stopped dead in her tracks, turned around, and ran back home./ Syn.: ON THE SPOT(1), THEN AND THERE. 2. See: FOLLOW IN ONEβS FOOTSTEPS.
[in oneβs way]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Within reach; likely to be met; before you. β’/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. β’/Fred tried to get to the door, but the table was in the way./ β’/A tree had fallen across the street and was in Jimβs way as he drove./ β’/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. β’/Come to my desk in alphabetical order as I call your names./ β’/Line up and walk to the door in order./ β’/Name all the presidents in order./ Compare: IN TURN. 2. In proper condition. β’/The car was in good working order when I bought it./ β’/The club leader looked at the club treasurerβs records of money collected and spent, and found them all in order./ Compare: IN COMMISSION(2), PUT ONEβS HOUSE IN ORDER. 3. Following the rules; proper; suitable. β’/Is it in order to ask the speaker questions at the meeting?/ β’/At the end of a program, applause for the performers is in order./ Compare: IN PLACE. Contrast: OUT OF ORDER. 4. See: PUT ONEβS HOUSE IN ORDER or SET ONEβS HOUSE IN ORDER.
[in order that] See: SO THAT(1).
[in order to] or [so as to] {conj.} For the purpose of; to.βββUsed with an infinitive. β’/In order to follow the buffalo, the Indians often had to move their camps./ β’/We picked apples so as to make a pie./ Compare: SO THAT.
[in part]{adv. phr.} To some extent; partly; not wholly.βββOften used with "large" or "small". β’/We planted the garden in pan with flowers. But in large part we planted vegetables./ β’/Tom was only in small part responsible./
[in particular]{adv. phr.} In a way apart from others; more than others; particularly; especially. β’/The speaker talked about sports in general and about football In particular./ β’/All the boys played well and Bill in particular./ β’/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. β’/Our teacher showed us different kinds of flowers and told us in passing that those flowers came from her garden./ β’/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. β’/A TV actor appeared in person today in school./ β’/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. β’/Nothing is in place after the earthquake. Even trees and houses are turned over./ β’/The picture is not in place on the wall. It is crooked./ 1b. In one place. β’/Our first exercise in gym class was running in place./ 2. In proper order. β’/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. β’/A dog is not in place in a church./ β’/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.