[in cold blood] <adv. phr.> Without feeling or pity; in a purposely cruel way; coolly and deliberately. * /The bank robbers planned to shoot in cold blood anyone who got in their way./ * /The bandits planned to murder in cold blood all farmers in the village by the river./
[in command] <adv. phr.> In control of; in charge. * /Helen is in command of the situation./
[in commission] or [into commission] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. On duty or ready to be put on duty by a naval or military service; in active service. * /The old battleship has been in commission for twenty years./ * /It took many months to build the new bomber, and now it is ready to be put into commission./ 2. In proper condition; in use or ready for use; working; running. * /The wheel of my bicycle was broken, but it is back in commission now./ Compare: IN ORDER(2). Contrast: OUT OF COMMISSION(2).
[in common] <adv. phr.> Shared together or equally; in use or ownership by all. * /Mr. and Mrs. Smith own the store in common./ * /The four boys grew up together and have a lot in common./ * /The swimming pool is used in common by all the children in the neighborhood./ Compare: COMMON GROUND.
[in condition] See: IN SHAPE.
[in consequence] <adv. phr.> As a result; therefore; so. * /Jennie got up late, and in consequence she missed the bus./ * /You studied hard, and in consequence you passed the test./
[in consequence of] <prep.>, <formal> As a result of. * /In consequence of the deep snow, school will not open today./ * /In consequence of his promise to pay for the broken window, Bill was not punished./ Compare: BECAUSE OF, ON ACCOUNT OF.
[in consideration of] <adv. phr.> 1. After thinking about and weighing; because of. * /iN consideration of the boy's young age, the judge did not put him in jail for carrying a gun./ 2. In exchange for; because of; in payment for. * /In consideration of the extra work Joe had done, his boss gave him an extra week's pay./ Compare: IN RETURN.
[in days] or [weeks] or [years to come] <adv. phr.> In the future. * /In the years to come I will be thinking of my father's advice about life./
[in deep] <adj. phr.> Seriously mixed up in something, especially trouble. * /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. * /The girl chewed gum in defiance of the teacher's rule./ * /Bob stayed up late in defiance of the coach's orders./
[in demand] <adj. phr.> Needed; wanted. * /Men to shovel snow were in demand after the snow storm./ * /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. - An ethnic slur; avoidable. * /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. - Used with "the", usually after "have" or "with"; and often used in a joking way. * /Bill is a good player, but Ted has the Indian sign on him and always beats him./ * /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 ONE'S NUMBER.
[Indian summer] <n. phr.> A dry and warm period of time late in the fall, usually in October. * /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. * /The penalty ordered by the referee was in dispute by one of the teams./ * /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. * /When in doubt about any of the words you're 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. * /The nearest supermarket that sells car tires is at the industrial park twenty miles from downtown./
[in Dutch] <adj. phr.>, <slang> In trouble. * /George got in Dutch with his father when he broke a window./ * /John was in Dutch with his mother because he tore his new jacket./
[in earnest] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> Seriously; in a determined way. * /The beaver was building his dam in earnest./ * /Bill did his homework in earnest./ - Often used like a predicate adjective. Sometimes used with "dead", for emphasis. * /Betty's 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. * /The teacher gave the same assignment, in effect, that she gave yesterday./ * /Helping your mother with the dishes is in effect earning your allowance./ 2. Necessary to obey; being enforced. * /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. * /You were in error when you assumed that he would wait for us./
[in evidence] <adj. phr.> Easily seen; noticeable. * /The little boy's measles were very much in evidence./ * /The tulips were blooming; spring was in evidence./
[in fact] also [in point of fact] <adv. phr.> Really truthfully. Often used for emphasis. * /No one believed it but, in fact, Mary did get an A on her book report./ * /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, * /Everyone in the class voted in favor of the party./ * /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. * /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. * /The naughty puppy was in for a spanking./ * /On Christmas morning we are in for some surprises./ * /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. * /New times for eating meals are now in force./ Syn.: IN EFFECT. 2. In a large group. * /People went to see the parade in force./ Syn.: EN MASSE.
[in front of] prep. Ahead of; before. * /The rabbit was running in front of the dog./ * /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. * /The Valentine party was in full swing./ * /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. * /In general, mother makes good cookies./ * /The weather in Florida is warm in general./ Compare: ON THE WHOLE(2).
[in general(2)] <adj. phr.> Most; with few exceptions. * /Women in general like to shop for new clothes./ * /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. - Used with "with". * /The boy washed the blackboards so that he would get in good with Iris teacher./ * /Although Tom was younger, he was in good with the older boys./ Compare: ON ONE'S 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. * /The school bus arrived in good time./ * /The students finished their school work in good time./ * /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. * /Spring and summer will arrive in due course./ * /Sally finished her spelling in due course./
[in great measure] <adv. phr.> To a great extent; largely. * /The Japanese attack on Hawaii was in great measure a contributing factor to President Roosevelt's decision to enter World War II./ Compare: TO A LARGE EXTENT.
[in half] <adv. phr.> 1. Into two equal parts. * /The ticket taker at the football game tore the tickets in half./ * /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. * /As a punishment, Father cut Bob's allowance in half./
[in hand] <adv.> or <adj. phr.> 1. Under control. * /The principal was happy to find that the new teacher had her class in hand./ * /The baby-sitter kept the children well in hand./ * /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. Often used in the phrase "cash in hand". * /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. * /We should finish the work we have in hand before we begin something new./