or {adj. phr.} 1. Soon enough. •/We got toWashington in time for the cherry blossoms./ •/We got to the station justin time to catch the bus./ •/John liked to get to work in good time andtalk. to the man who worked on his machine before him./ 2. In the end; aftera while; finally. •/Fred and Jim did not like each other at first, but intime they became friends./ 3. In the right rhythm; in step. •/The marcherskept in time with the band./ •/Johnny didn’t play his piano piece intime./
[into account] See: TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
[into a nose dive] See: oo INTO A TAIL SPIN or GO INTO A NOSE DIVE.
[into a tail spin] See: GO INTO A TAIL SPIN.
[into commission] See: IN COMMISSION.
[into effect]{adv. phr.} Into use or operation. •/The new rule wasput into effect at once./ •/The judge ordered the old suspended penaltyinto effect./
[into hot water] See: HOT WATER.
[into line]{adv. phr.} 1. Into agreement. •/The department’sspending was brought into line with the budget./ 2. Under control.•/Independent congressmen were brought into line by warnings that jobs fortheir friends would be kept back./ •/The players who had broken trainingrules fell into line when the coach warned them that they would he put off theteam./
[into one’s blood] See: IN ONE’S BLOOD.
[into one’s head] See: BEAT INTO ONE’S HEAD, TAKE INTO ONE’S HEAD.
[into one’s own] See: COME INTO ONE’S OWN.
[into one’s own hands] See: TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE’S OWN HANDS.
[into one’s shell] See: IN ONE’S SHELL.
[into one’s shoes] See: STEP INTO ONE’S SHOES.
[into practice] See: IN PRACTICE.
[into question]{adv. phr.} Into doubt or argument. — Usually usedwith "call", "bring" or "come". •/This soldier’s courage has never beencalled into question./ •/If a boy steals, his parents' teaching comes intoquestion./
[into the bargain] See: IN THE BARGAIN.
[into the fire] See: OUT OP THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.
[into the ground] See: RUN INTO THE GROUND.
[into the hands of] See: PLAY INTO THE HANDS OF.
[into thin air]{adv. phr.} Without anything left; completely. •/WhenBob returned to the room, he was surprised to find that his books had vanishedinto thin air./ Compare: OUT OF THIN AIR.
[in toto]{adv. phr.} As a whole; in its entirety; totally; altogether.•/The store refused the advertising agency’s suggestion in toto./ •/Theybought the newspaper business in toto./ •/The paving job was accepted intoto./ (Latin, meaning "in the whole.")
[in touch]{adj. phr.} Talking or writing to each other; giving andgetting news. •/John kept in touch with his school friends during thesummer./ •/Police anywhere in the U.S. can get in touch instantly with anyother police department by teletype./ •/The man claimed to be in touch withpeople on another planet./ Compare: KEEP TRACK. Contrast: OUT OF TOUCH.
[in tow]{adj. phr.} 1. Being pulled. •/The tugboat had the largeocean liner in tow as they came into the harbor./ •/An engine came with along string of cars in tow./ 2. Being taken from place to place; along withsomeone. •/Janet took the new girl in tow and showed her where to go./•/Mrs. Hayes went to the supermarket with her four little children in tow./
[in trust]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In safe care for another. •/Themoney was held by the hank in trust for the widow./ •/At his death Mr.Brown left a large sum in trust for his son until he was twenty-five./
[in tune]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. At the proper musical pitch;high or low enough in sound. •/The piano is in tune./ 2. Going welltogether; in agreement; matching; agreeable. — Often used with "with". •/Inhis new job, John felt in tune with his surroundings and his associates./Contrast: OUT OF TUNE.
[in turn]{adv. phr.} According to a settled order; each followinganother. •/Each man in turn got up and spoke./ •/Two teachers supervisedthe lunch hour in turn./ •/Two of the three boys tease their youngerbrother — John, the biggest, teases Bob, the middle boy; and Bob in turnteases Tim, the youngest./ Compare: IN ORDER.
[in two]{adv. phr.} Into two parts or pieces; into two divisions.•/John and Mary pulled on the wishbone until it came in two./ •/There wasonly one piece of cake, but we cut it in two./ Syn.: IN HALF.
[in two shakes of a lamb’s tail]{adv.}, {informal} Quickly; in notime at all. •/I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail./
[in --- up to the] See: UP TO THE --- IN.
[in vain]{adv. phr.} 1. Without effect; without getting the desiredresult; without success. •/The drowning man called in vain for help./•/To cry over spilled milk is to cry in vain./ Compare: GO FOR NOTHING, NOUSE. 2. See: TAKE ONE’S NAME IN VAIN.
[in view]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. In sight; visible. •/We camearound a bend and there was the ocean in view./ 2. As a purpose, hope, orexpectation. •/John had his son’s education in view when he began to savemoney./ •/The end that we must keep always in view is peace withjustice./ Compare: EYE TO.
[in view of]{prep.} After thinking about; because of. •/Schools wereclosed for the day in view of the heavy snowstorm./ •/In view of risinglabor costs, many companies have turned to automation./ Syn.: IN THE LIGHTOF.
[in virtue of] See: BY VIRTUE OF.
[in wait] See: LIE IN WAIT.
[in with]{prep.} In friendship, favor, or closeness with; in the trustor liking of. •/We trusted on Byrd’s being in with the mayor, not knowingthat the mayor no longer liked him./ •/It took the new family some time toget in with their neighbors./
[I.O.U.]{adj. phr.} I owe you, abbreviated; a promissory note. •/Ihad to borrow some money from John and, in order to remind both of us, I wrotehim an I.O.U. note for $250./
[Irish] See: GET ONE’S DANDER UP or GET ONE’S IRISH UP.
[iron horse]{n.}, {informal} A railroad locomotive; the engine ofa railroad train. •/In its first days, the iron horse frightened many peopleas it roared across country scattering sparks./
[iron in the fire]{n. phr.} Something you are doing; one of theprojects with which a person is busy; job, •/John had a number of irons inthe fire, and he managed to keep all of them hot./ — Usually used in thephrase "too many irons in the fire". •/"Ed has a dozen things going all thetime, but none of them seem to work out." "No wonder. He has too many irons inthe fire."/
[iron out]{v.}, {informal} To discuss and reach an agreement about(a difference); find a solution for (a problem); remove (a difficulty). •/Thecompany and its workers ironed out their differences over hours and pay./•/The House and Senate ironed out the differences between their two differenttax bills./ Compare: MAKE UP(5).
[is] See: SUCH AS IT IS, THAT IS.
[island] See: SAFETY ISLAND.
[issue] See: AT ISSUE, TAKE ISSUE.
[is that so]{informal} 1. Oh, indeed? That’s interesting. — Used insimple acceptance or reply. •/"The Republicans have pulled a trick at cityhall." "Is that so?"/ 2. Surely not? — Used in disbelief or sarcasm.•/"The moon is made of green cheese." "Is that so?"/ •/"I’m going to takeyour girlfriend to the dance," said Bob. "Oh, is that so!" said Dick. "Try itand you’ll be sorry."/
[itching palm]{n.}, {slang} A wish for money; greed. •/He wasborn with an itching palm./ •/The bellboys in that hotel seem always tohave itching palms./
[I tell you] See: I’LL SAY.
[I tell you what] See: I’LL TELL YOU WHAT.
[item] See: COLLECTOR’S ITEM, CONSUMER ITEMS.
[it figures]{informal sentence} It checks out; it makes sense; it addsup. •/It figures that Bob got the highest raise at our firm; he is the mostproductive salesman./
[it is an ill wind that blows nobody good] No matter how bad a happeningis, someone can usually gain something from it. — A proverb. •/When Fred gothurt in the game John got a chance to play. It’s an ill wind that blows nobodygood./
[it never rains but it pours] One good thing or bad thing is often followedby others of the same kind. — A proverb, •/John got sick, then his brothersand sisters all got sick. It never rains but it pours./
[it’s a cinch]{informal sentence} It is very easy. •/"What about thefinal exam?" Fred asked. "It was a cinch" Sam answered./ Compare: PIECE OFCAKE.
[it’s a deal]{informal sentence} Consider it done; OK; it is agreed.•/"How much for this used car?" Bill asked. "Two thousand," the man answered."I’ll give $1,500," Bill said. "It’s a deal!" the owner answered as they sealedthe transaction./
[it’s been ---, it’s been real]{informal} Shortened form for "it hasbeen real nice (being with you)" — used colloquially between very closefriends.
[itself] See: END IN ITSELF.
[it’s high time]{informal sentence} It is overdue. •/It is high timefor John Browning to be promoted to full professor; he has written a great dealbut his books went unnoticed./