I. (|)in, ən; usu ə n after t, d, s, or z as in “split in two”, often ə m after p or b as in “up in front”, often ə ŋ after k or g as in “sick in bed”, often n before ə as in “heʸs in a hurry” preposition
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German in, preposition, in, Old Norse ī, Gothic in, Latin in, Greek en, Old Prussian en, Russian v, vo, vn-
1.
a.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate location or position in space or in some materially bounded object
put the key in the lock
travel in Italy
play in the street
wounded in the leg
read in bed
look up a quotation in a book
(2) chiefly Britain : on
squatting down in his heels — R.M.Daw
tramcars which run in tracks — Manual of Firemanship (Gt. British)
best dwelling house in the island — Padraic Fallon
(3) : into
broke in pieces
called in council on many occasions — U.S. Investor
threw it in the fire
wouldn't let her in the house — Springfield (Massachusetts) Daily News
b.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate position or location in something immaterial or intangible
saw him in my dreams
the position of the artist in society
or the fact of belonging to a group or association
you're in the army now
are you in the orchestra
(2) — used as a function word to indicate activity, occupation, or purpose
advanced in hot pursuit
in search of lost treasure
in honor of this event
what is all this in aid of … — Sydney (Australia) Bulletin
(3) — used as a function word to indicate a position or relationship of authority or responsibility
in charge of the company's affairs
in command of the garrison
(4) : in the course of
in cooling this material hardens
drowned in crossing the river
(5) — used as a function word to indicate close connection by way of implication or active participation
in the plot
in an amateur play
(6) — used as a function word to indicate engagement in a business identified with a particular commodity
he's in oil, he's in rice — Ethel Merman
her mother's family were … in butter — Mary Manning
was in buttons but had started to expand into novelties — Mary Barrett
c.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate a material, mental, or moral situation or condition
a house in ruins
a boy in love
he's in luck
in great pain
up to his waist in water
or an environing condition
the city lay in darkness
basking in sunshine
(2) — used as a function word to indicate something that envelops or covers
a book bound in buckram
covered in mud — Nevil Shute
covered in … cotton plaid — Spiegel's Catalog
(3) — used as a function word to indicate a cultivated or natural plant cover
valley bottom is in grass — P.E.James
75 percent of all the cropped land is in cereals — Samuel Van Valkenburg & Ellsworth Huntington
most of the surface is in woods or brush — L.E.Klimm
(4) — used as a function word to indicate something that is being worn
a tall man in a bowler hat — Christopher Isherwood
racing the horse in binders
— often used to indicate a salient characteristic of what is being worn
a lady in black
d. — used as a function word with an accompanying concrete word to indicate a physiological condition or process (as pregnancy or the condition of producing or yielding)
in lamb
a cow in milk
e.
(1) — used as a function word with an accompanying concrete word to indicate affluence or easy financial circumstances
the Madrileño in the money loves to make a splash — E.D.Hauser
I am generally in cash — Lord Byron
(2) — used as a function word to indicate possession or display of some trait or attribute
a gentleman in a gray goatee — Al Hine
the sheep are in wool
the corn's in silk and tassel — G.S.Perry
in figure slim — W.H.Hudson †1922
f. : under the influence of (an alcoholic drink)
when in liquor, he would scutter up a tree like a squirrel — S.H.Adams
in drink
in one's cups
2.
a.
(1) : within the limits of a space of time expressed or implied
early in April
come in time
in the days of my childhood
in a few minutes he was there
(2) : during the course of : during
in his long journeys throughout the country — Darcy Ribeiro
in all that time I never saw him
(3) : during the space of : at any time during : for
the coldest day in twenty years
have not seen him in months
b. : at
united in this time of peril
vested in the governor acting in his discretion — Achievement in the Gold Coast
c. — used as a function word to indicate a proportion or rate
the mix was one in twenty — F.W.Crofts
3.
a.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate means or instrumentality
scribbled and scratched over … in pencil or nail — William Faulkner
caught his coat in the gate latch — L.Y.Erskine
treated in moist heat — F.D.Smith & Barbara Wilcox
(2) : by virtue of : on account of : for the reason that
it is also complex, in being an integral part of a rich and many-sided mind — E.R.Bentley
resemble the … Uplands in the fact that generally they provide an environment unfriendly to human occupancy — Samuel Van Valkenburg & Ellsworth Huntington
— often used in the phrase in that
a fallacious argument in that it is based on false premises
(3) — used as a function word to indicate material or constituents
a memorial in Vermont granite — Bernard De Voto
tell the court … in what her cargo consisted — F.W.Crofts
an artist in oils
(4) — used as a function word to indicate degree, extent, or measure
flock to his exhibitions in thousands — Herbert Read
in the main, we are in agreement
not discouraged in the least
(5) — used as a function word to indicate a class of objects
something in a vacuum cleaner — John Steinbeck
the latest thing in cars
b. — used as a function word to indicate manner, form, or arrangement
buying a pig in installments — Dodie Smith
told in confidence
written in French
carry all your funds in traveler's checks — Richard Joseph
c. : with reference to : as concerns
wonders if actors of other countries are as happy in their audiences as we are — Phyllis Robbins
care must be exercised in the amount of tannic acid used — C.M.Whittaker & C.C.Wilcock
in fall color they have few peers — Laurence Lowry
Greek in language, culture, and religion — Franc Shor
six feet in height
a library rich in manuscripts
in the matter of your account
4.
a. — used as a function word to indicate consideration of a thing strictly limited to its own essence, nature, or merits, apart from its relations to others
in itself, the matter has no importance
nothing is beautiful in itself
— compare thing-in-itself
b. — used as a function word to indicate the specific object, sphere, or aspect to which a qualification is restricted
in him you have a fine leader
much remains to be done in this field
a very worthy gentleman, in truth
that we expect in persons of your station — W.S.Gilbert
my trust is in the Lord
believe in his good faith
rich in hope — Shakespeare
c.
(1) : within — used of an inherent quality, attribute, or significance
has no pity in him
there is nothing in that story
(2) : within the capacity or powers of
if I … had anything like that in me, it would have made itself felt before now — Hamilton Basso
d. : in spiritual union with
love one's brothers in Christ
e. : within the grant of : in the power or control of
the scholarship is in the trustees of the fund
5. : in the key of
in F
•
- not in it
II. |in adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English in, inn; akin to Old High German in, adverb, in, Old Norse & Gothic inn, Old English in, preposition
1.
a.
(1) : to or toward the inside especially of a house or other building : into a certain space : inside
the door is locked, I can't get in
opened the window and climbed in
broke in and made the arrest
(2) : in a particular direction : to or toward some destination
drove 20 miles in and walked the rest of the way
flew in on the first plane
it was shank's mare from there in — Shelby Foote
(3) : into a position of proximity : so as to be near some point : near
trackless trolleys able to swing in to the curb — Springfield (Massachusetts) Union
the enemy closed in
: at close quarters
advised the infielders to play in
(4) : so as to envelop gradually with something intangible or nebulous
darkness closed in
the fog moved in
b. : into the midst or into the surface of something so as to form a part
put in some sugar
mix in the flour
paint in another figure
— often used in combination
built- in stabilizers
c.
(1) : to its place
fit a piece in
(2) : so as to conform, agree, or submit : into line
fell in with our plans
will he fit in
d.
(1) : to or into a particular place
get your orders in early
called us in for a conference
(2) : to one's house
had some friends in for dinner
had a girl in to serve
2.
a.
(1) : within a particular place ; especially : within the customary place of residence, practice, or business
is your mother in
the doctor will be in at 2
(2) : in a place that is the goal of a journey or course : at one's destination or terminus
the whole whaling fleet was in — H.A.Chippendale
wild riders of the High Plains, in from the ranches — American Guide Series: Texas
is the train in
two runs in last inning
(3) : in place or position
is the key in
had to climb a ladder because the stairs were not yet in — Current Biography
the footings are already in — Building Estimating & Contracting
b.
(1) : on the interior or inner side : within
shut a person in
(2) : so as to confine or surround
snowed in
fence cattle in
(3) : in jail or prison
what offense is he in for
(4) of a ship's sails : in a furled or stowed condition
c.
(1) : in the position of a participant, accomplice, insider, or observer — usually used with on
it's exciting to be in on that — May Sarton
was in on the scheme — E.S.Morgan
let some members of the diplomatic corps in on the government's intention — Sydney Gruson
bankers who are in on current … thinking — Wall Street Journal
time his visit so that he might sit in on the Civil War — Theatre Arts
(2) : in or into participation in a pot by betting as required by the rules
come in for three chips
count me in
stay in the pot
d.
(1) : in office or power
the Tories were in again — John Strachey
also : in the position of having won an election
in by a landslide
(2) : with legal privilege or title : in possession — used of a holding, possession, or seisin
in by descent
(3) : in someone's good graces : on good terms — usually used with with
in with the courthouse gang — D.D.McKean
in strong with the white folks — Ralph Ellison
(4) : in a specified relation as regards favor, esteem, or terms of association
in bad with the boss
(5) : in a position of assured or definitive success
by the end of the performance I was in — Emmett Kelly
why, you're in , fellow — Amateur Athlete
also : in vogue or style
jewelry is in this year — G.A.Wagner
e.
(1) chiefly Britain : in or into a burning or lighted condition
blow in a fire
the streetlights … were in — E.M.Lustgarten
(2) : in season
strawberries are in
: in cultivation
had some two hundred acres in — Eve Langley
: in condition to be harvested : in mature condition
when cotton is in their devotion to the crop alters them completely — American Guide Series: Arkansas
(3) : at bat (as in cricket)
the last man in
(4) of an oil well : in or into production
the well has come in
(5) : in effect
rationing by points is over and rationing by the purse is in — Economist
f.
(1) : in one's possession or control : at one's disposal : at hand
the evidence is not all in — W.C.Allee
the answers aren't in — Roscoe Drummond
(2) : in a completed or terminated state
when our own crops were in — A.W.Barkley
after harvests are in
(3) : in evidence : on hand
October was in , mild and languorous — Maurice Hewlett
(4) : in a specified service or employment
had in enough time as mate — H.A.Chippendale
put in a lot of time on that job
3. : to the end : indefinitely — used as an intensive with on
every feeding time from there on in — Land Kaderli
•
- in for
- in for it
III. transitive verb
( inned ; inned ; inning ; ins )
Etymology: Middle English innen, from Old English innian to include, go in, from in, inn, adverb
now dialect chiefly England : enclose , reclaim ; also : harvest
IV. adjective
Etymology: in (II)
1.
a. : that is located inside or within
the in part
b. : that is in position, connection, operation, or power
the in party
c. : having its inning
the in team
2. : that is directed inward : proceeding or bound toward the interior or inner side : incoming
the in train
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: in (II)
1. : one who is in office or power or on the inside
wanted to be an in — W.A.White
— usually used in plural
a matter of ins versus outs — L.K.Caldwell
2. : influence , pull
enjoyed some sort of in with the commandant — Henriette Roosenburg
must have an in someplace — W.R.Burnett
3. : a ball hit in bounds in tennis or squash
VI. abbreviation
1. inch
2. inlet
I. adjective
( -es )
1. : inside 3a
an in joke
2. : extremely fashionable ; broadly : having widespread popularity
the in place to go
3. : keenly aware of and responsive to what is new and smart
the in crowd
• in-ness ˈinnə̇s noun