INDEX:
1. in a container or other enclosed space
2. in a building or room
3. the part of something that is inside
4. in a town, country, or area
5. in a company, organization, or group
6. in a person’s body or mind
7. in a book, newspaper, speech, or piece of writing etc
8. from the outside towards the inside
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ OUT/OUTSIDE
see also
↑ CONTAIN
↑ ENTER
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1. in a container or other enclosed space
▷ in /ɪn/ [preposition]
▪ There’s some pizza in the refrigerator.
▪ I think I have some tissues in my purse.
▪ Perhaps I left my wallet in my other jacket pocket.
▪ Valuables should be kept in the hotel safe.
▪ She stayed in the car while I went to the bank.
▷ inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ [preposition/adverb]
in a container or other enclosed space and therefore completely covered or surrounded :
▪ There’s a key inside the envelope.
▪ She opened the package to find another, smaller package inside.
▪ Jem opened the box. Inside, surrounded by cotton wool, was a little brooch.
▷ contents /ˈkɒntentsǁˈkɑːn-/ [plural noun]
the things that are inside a box, room, bag etc :
▪ The ship and its contents are at the bottom of the lake.
▪ The customs officer opened my suitcase and examined the contents.
contents of
▪ Add the contents of the saucepan to the bean mixture.
2. in a building or room
▷ in /ɪn/ [preposition]
▪ Francis and his friend were drinking tea in his room.
▪ The movie was bad, but at least it was cool in the theater.
▪ There isn’t a comfortable chair in the house.
▪ She had to spend a week in the hospital.
▷ inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ [preposition/adverb]
use this especially when you are comparing what is happening in a building or room with what is happening outside :
▪ The lights were on inside the house.
▪ Inside it was lovely and warm.
▪ I sat outside the interview room and wondered what was going on inside.
▷ indoors /ɪnˈdɔːʳz/ [adverb]
inside a building, especially someone’s home :
▪ It was too sunny to think of staying indoors.
▪ Some arts and crafts projects are too messy to be done indoors.
▷ indoor /ˈɪndɔːʳ/ [adjective only before noun]
use this about things or activities that are used or that happen inside buildings, not outdoors :
▪ The hotel has a heated indoor swimming pool.
▪ This year, the world indoor tennis championship will take place in Paris.
▪ Traditionally, markets were held outdoors, but many cities in Britain now have indoor markets.
3. the part of something that is inside
▷ the inside /ði ˈɪnsaɪd/ [singular noun]
the inside of
▪ All I’ve seen of Australia is the inside of a hotel room at Sydney airport.
▪ The inside of a camera is painted black to prevent light reflecting onto the film.
from the inside
▪ The door had been locked from the inside and the police had to break it down in order to get in.
▷ interior /ɪnˈtɪ ə riəʳ/ [countable noun] written
the inside of a building or car :
▪ the car’s leather interior
▪ My eyes gradually became accustomed to the gloomy interior of the store.
4. in a town, country, or area
▷ in /ɪn/ [preposition]
▪ My husband hates driving in London.
▪ Everyone in town knew Archie.
▪ The company’s Spanish subsidiary is based in Madrid.
▪ There are many different species of wild cat in Africa and Asia.
▷ inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ [preposition]
use this to emphasize that something is happening in a country or area, or is only known about by people in a country or area :
▪ Enemy troops are now three miles inside their territory.
▪ We in the West knew little about events inside Northern Korea.
▪ The guerrillas were said to be operating from bases inside the country.
▷ within /wɪðˈɪnǁwɪðˈɪn, wɪθˈɪn/ [preposition]
inside the borders or limits of an area :
▪ Children must remain within the school grounds during the lunch break.
▪ If the ball lands within the white lines it counts as a fair serve.
▷ internal /ɪnˈtɜːʳnl/ [adjective usually before noun]
happening inside a country - use this especially to say that other countries should not become involved :
▪ Russia faces many internal problems, for example inflation.
▪ The US was accused of interfering in the internal affairs of the country.
5. in a company, organization, or group
▷ in /ɪn/ [preposition]
▪ Homelessness is a major problem in society today.
▪ The mood in the Republican Party is one of optimism.
▪ Some analysts in Wall Street are predicting that the company will merge with a rival firm.
▷ inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ [adverb/preposition]
in an organization or company - use this to emphasize that something is happening or is known about only in that organization and outside it :
▪ From inside, the company seems less successful.
▪ A struggle is going on inside the party between the moderates and the right wing.
inside /ˈɪnsaɪd/ [adjective only before noun]
▪ According to inside information, many members of the security forces are concerned about this problem.
▪ Police are saying it was an inside job a crime committed by someone inside an organization .
▷ within /wɪðˈɪnǁwɪðˈɪn, wɪθˈɪn/ [preposition]
existing or happening in a group, organization etc, not outside it :
▪ The landowners have always regarded themselves as an elite group within society.
▪ Different factions within the party are fighting for overall control.
▪ Violence within the family is often alcohol-related.
▷ internal /ɪnˈtɜːʳnl/ [adjective usually before noun]
an internal activity, problem, plan etc is one that concerns only those people who are inside a company or organization but not anyone outside it :
▪ Many companies use the program for internal accounting purposes.
▪ After the accident, NASA conducted an internal investigation.
▪ In November the directors wrote an internal memorandum suggesting that the company should close down three of its factories.
internally [adverb]
▪ The job will only be advertised internally inside the organization .
▷ in-house /ˌɪn ˈhaʊs◂/ [adjective only before noun]
in-house training etc is carried out within a company; in-house employees work for one employer on a permanent basis :
▪ Many companies run in-house management courses for their staff.
▪ All our artwork is done by in-house designers; we don’t normally use freelance people.
in-house [adverb]
▪ This magazine is produced in-house.
▷ insider /ɪnˈsaɪdəʳ/ [countable noun]
someone who has special knowledge about a company, organization, or group, because they belong to it or have close connections with it :
▪ Insiders have been predicting that the company would be involved in a takeover bid for some time.
▪ Political insiders believe Republicans won’t gain control of the Senate.
insider trading
using special knowledge about what is happening inside a company
▪ Several people went to prison after the investigation into insider trading.
6. in a person’s body or mind
▷ in /ɪn/ [preposition]
▪ I have a pain in my stomach.
▪ Paul felt a terrible cramp in his left leg.
▪ We shall be studying the effects of these bacteria in the intestine.
▪ All these memories of Judith are still fresh in my mind.
▷ internal /ɪnˈtɜːʳnl/ [adjective usually before noun]
use this about injuries, examinations, or organs inside your body :
▪ Mrs Jones suffered serious internal injuries as a result of the accident.
▪ The doctor said they found some signs of internal bleeding.
internally [adverb]
▪ He was bleeding internally and had to be operated on immediately.
▷ inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ [adverb]
if you feel angry, sad, excited etc inside, you have that feeling although you do not show it in the way you behave :
▪ Kate tried to make jokes but inside she was furious.
▪ I desperately needed some way to vent all the anger and frustration I felt inside.
▷ inner /ˈɪnəʳ/ [adjective only before noun]
use this about a feeling that you have in your mind but do not always show :
▪ If he has any inner doubts, he doesn’t show them.
▪ Terri has an inner confidence that her sister lacks.
7. in a book, newspaper, speech, or piece of writing etc
▷ in /ɪn/ [preposition]
▪ Did you read that article in ‘Newsweek’?
▪ Romance! Adventure! Passion! They’re all in this week’s ‘Woman’ magazine.
▪ There are some wonderful descriptive passages in the novel.
▷ inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ [adverb]
on the inner pages of a newspaper or magazine - use this especially when you are advertising the newspaper etc and telling people what is in it :
▪ Inside there are lots of handy hints to help you take better pictures.
▪ Free inside! A monthly horoscope guide!
▷ contents /ˈkɒntentsǁˈkɑːn-/ [plural noun]
everything that is contained in a book, magazine, letter etc :
▪ The letter was burned and its contents will never be known.
contents of
▪ A computer disk can store the entire contents of a set of encyclopedias.
▪ The contents of the report are expected to show that the government acted wrongly.
table of contents
a list of what a book contains
▪ She glanced at the table of contents to see what stories were included.
▷ content /ˈkɒntentǁˈkɑːn-/ [singular/uncountable noun]
the ideas, facts, or opinions that are contained in a speech or piece of writing :
▪ Many of the essays are political in content.
▪ The software, designed for children, has good graphics and animation that doesn’t overwhelm the content.
content of
▪ People pay as much attention to your voice as to the content of your speech.
8. from the outside towards the inside
▷ into /ˈɪntə, before vowels ˈɪntʊ, strong ˈɪntuː/ [preposition]
from the outside towards the inside :
▪ Jane went into the living-room and sat down on the sofa.
▪ Pour half a pint of milk into a small pan and warm it gently.
▪ Rachel jumped into her car and sped off in the direction of the hospital.
▪ Edwards is charged with trying to smuggle 20 kg of cannabis into the country.
▷ in /ɪn/ [preposition/adverb]
into a room, building, container, car etc :
▪ Come in! The door’s not locked.
▪ A big car pulled up and the driver told me to get in.
▪ Maureen stood at the door, looking in.
▪ Do you want me to put it in a bag for you?
▪ She went in the bathroom and turned on the tap.
▷ inside /ɪnˈsaɪd/ [preposition/adverb]
into a building, room, container etc until completely in it and enclosed by it :
▪ Tom ran back inside and called the police.
▪ I put my hand inside my bag, searching for my passport.
▷ inwards/inward /ˈɪnwəʳdz, ˈɪnwəʳd/ [adverb]
towards the inside of a building, room, community etc :
▪ The main door opens inwards.
▪ All the windows faced inward across the courtyard.