[in one’s shell] or [into one’s shell] {adv.} or {adj. phr.},{informal} In or into bashfulness; into silence; not sociable; unfriendly.•/After Mary’s mother scolded her, she went into her shell./ •/Theteacher tried to get Rose to talk to her, but she stayed in her shell./Contrast: OUT OF ONE’S SHELL.

[in one’s shoes] also [in one’s boots] {adv. phr.} In or into one’splace or position. •/How would you like to be in a lion tamer’s boots?/Compare: PUT ONESELF IN ANOTHER’S PLACE, STEP INTO ONE’S SHOES.

[in one’s sleeve] See: UP ONE’S SLEEVE.

[in one’s tracks]{adv. phr.}, {informal} 1. Just where one is atthe moment; abruptly; immediately. •/The hunter’s rifle cracked and therabbit dropped in his tracks./ •/Mary stopped dead in her tracks, turnedaround, and ran back home./ Syn.: ON THE SPOT(1), THEN AND THERE. 2. See:FOLLOW IN ONE’S FOOTSTEPS.

[in one’s way]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. Within reach; likely to bemet; before you. •/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. •/Fred tried to get to the door, but the tablewas in the way./ •/A tree had fallen across the street and was in Jim’s wayas he drove./ •/Mary tried to clean the house, but the baby was always inthe way./

[in order]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} 1. In arrangement; in the properway of following one another. •/Come to my desk in alphabetical order as Icall your names./ •/Line up and walk to the door in order./ •/Name allthe presidents in order./ Compare: IN TURN. 2. In proper condition. •/Thecar was in good working order when I bought it./ •/The club leader lookedat the club treasurer’s records of money collected and spent, and found themall in order./ Compare: IN COMMISSION(2), PUT ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER. 3.Following the rules; proper; suitable. •/Is it in order to ask the speakerquestions at the meeting?/ •/At the end of a program, applause for theperformers is in order./ Compare: IN PLACE. Contrast: OUT OF ORDER. 4. See:PUT ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER or SET ONE’S HOUSE IN ORDER.

[in order that] See: SO THAT(1).

[in order to] or [so as to] {conj.} For the purpose of; to. — Usedwith an infinitive. •/In order to follow the buffalo, the Indians often hadto move their camps./ •/We picked apples so as to make a pie./ Compare:SO THAT.

[in part]{adv. phr.} To some extent; partly; not wholly. — Often usedwith "large" or "small". •/We planted the garden in pan with flowers. But inlarge part we planted vegetables./ •/Tom was only in small partresponsible./

[in particular]{adv. phr.} In a way apart from others; more thanothers; particularly; especially. •/The speaker talked about sports ingeneral and about football In particular./ •/All the boys played well andBill in particular./ •/Margaret liked all her classes, but she liked sewingclass in particular./ Contrast: IN GENERAL.

[in passing]{adv. phr.} While talking about that subject; as extrainformation; also. •/Our teacher showed us different kinds of flowers andtold us in passing that those flowers came from her garden./ •/The writerof the story says he grew up in New York and mentions in passing that hisparents came from Italy./ Compare: BY THE WAY.

[in person] also [in the flesh] {adv. phr.} Yourself; personally.•/A TV actor appeared in person today in school./ •/The governor cannotmarch 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.•/Nothing is in place after the earthquake. Even trees and houses are turnedover./ •/The picture is not in place on the wall. It is crooked./ 1b. Inone place. •/Our first exercise in gym class was running in place./ 2. Inproper order. •/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. •/A dog is not in place in a church./ •/Linda wonderedif 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.

[in plain English]{adv. phr.} Plainly; simply; in clear language.•/Stop healing around the bush and saying that John "prevaricates"; in plainEnglish he is a liar./

[in poor shape]{adv. phr.} In a bad condition. •/Most of the streetsof Chicago are in poor shape due to the heavy snow and frost during thewinters./

[in practice(1)] also [into practice] {adv. phr.} In actual doing.•/The idea sounds good but will it work in practice?/ •/It is easy to saythat we will he good. It is harder to put the saying into practice./

[in practice(2)]{adj. phr.} In proper condition to do something wellthrough practice. •/A pianist gets his fingers in practice by playingscales./ •/An ice-skater keeps in practice by skating every day./Compare: IN SHAPE. Contrast: OUT OF PRACTICE.

[in print]{adj. phr.} Obtainable in printed form from a printer orpublisher; printed. •/The author has finished writing his book but it is notyet in print./ •/The story of the students' trip to Washington appeared inprint in the newspaper./ •/It is a very old book and no longer in print./Contrast: OUT OF PRINT.

[in private]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} Not openly or in public; apartfrom others; confidentially; secretly. •/Mr. Jones waited until they werehome in private before he punished his son./ •/The teacher told Susan thatshe wanted to talk to her in private after class./ Compare: IN SECRET.Contrast: IN PUBLIC.

[in progress]{adj. phr.} Going ahead; being made or done; happening.•/Plans are in progress to build a new school next year./ •/A dog ran outon the playing field while the game was in progress./ Contrast: IN CHECK.

[in public]{adv. phr.} 1. In a place open to the people; in such a waythat the public may see, hear, or know; not secretly; openly. •/Two boys downthe street are dancing in public for pennies./ •/Actors are used toappearing in public./ •/The mayor has told his friends that he is sick butwill not admit it in public./ Contrast: IN PRIVATE. 2. See: AIR ONE’S DIRTYLINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC.

[in question]{adj. phr.} 1. In doubt; in dispute; being argued aboutor examined. •/I know Bill would he a good captain for the team. That is notin question. But does he want to be captain?/ Contrast: BEYOND QUESTION. 2.Under discussion; being talked or thought about. •/The girls in question arenot in school today./ •/On the Christmas Day in question, we could not goto Grandmother’s house, as we do every year./

[in quest of] See: IN SEARCH OF.

[in reason]{adv. phr.}, {formal} Following the rules of reasoning;sensibly; reasonably. •/One cannot in reason doubt that freedom is betterthan slavery./

[in reference to] or [with reference to] or [in regard to ] or[with regard to] {prep.} In connection with; from the standpoint of;concerning; regarding; about. •/I am writing with reference to your lastletter./ •/He spoke in reference to the Boy Scouts./ •/I spoke to himwith regard to his low marks./ •/In regard to the test tomorrow, it ispostponed./ Compare: IN RELATION TO, IN RESPECT TO.