be in

1. To be found or located inside some place or thing. The pasta is usually in the cupboard—check the top shelf. A: "I thought you said the stamps were in this drawer." B: "If they're not, maybe we don't have any left." My bike pump's in the garage, I'll go grab it for you.

2. To be present and available. I'm sorry, the boss isn't in right now. Would you like to leave a message? The doctor will be in at 3 PM. Excuse me, is Joseph in? He asked me to stop by today.

3. To be involved in or a part of something. The judges chose our project to be in the finals! Were you in that meeting with Chuck earlier? Did he really yell at the entire staff? I can't believe our team is in the playoffs for the first time in 12 years!

4. To be willing to become involved in or contribute to something. I know this project isn't going to be easy, but I'm in nonetheless. A: "Are you in?" B: "No way, this cockamamie scheme of yours is doomed to fail." You're going to the mall later? Ooh, yeah, I'm in!

5. To be currently (and usually temporarily) fashionable or trendy. Haven't you heard? Wearing knee-high socks is in now! Oh yes, this style of cocktail dress is very in right now. Thank goodness leisure suits are no longer in.

6. To be in an elected position. Those guys won't be in for much longer, thanks to the upcoming election. Now that that guy's in as mayor, I finally have hope for our city. The governor is in, but this is it for her—she can't serve another term after this.

7. To be inside a particular place. The kids are all in now—I just did a head count. Is the dog in? I just noticed that it started raining. A: "I hope you guys are in now, it's 11:00 at night!" B: "Yes, Mom, we're in, don't worry."

8. To be in close association with someone or some group. In this usage, the phrase is usually accompanied by "with." I'm worried about Johnny—I think he's in with a dangerous group of people. I wish I were in with my brother's friends—they're all so cool! Oh, we're in now if some of the popular girls know our names!

be in

1. To be located inside something: The spare keys are in the glove compartment.

2. To have been put or have come inside: You can close the door now; the cat is in.

3. To have successfully become a part or participant: The baseball team struggled to make the playoffs, but now they are in.

4. To have been elected or appointed to a political office: The current administration is in for at least one more term.

5. To be a consenting participant: The old bank robbers showed the young thief their plans and asked whether he was in.

6. To be fashionable or trendy: Narrow ties were in during the early 1960s and early 1980s.

7. be in for To be subject to something imminently: If you haven't read her books before, then you are in for a great surprise. Those dark clouds make me think that we are in for some wet weather.

8. be in for To participate in an activity, offering or risking something on its behalf: As far as painting the house goes, we are in for a day's work, but no more. We all placed our bets, and I was in for $10.

9. be in on To be aware of or to participate in some information shared with others or some group activity: I am not in on their plans, so I don't know what they are going to do. Are you in on our secret?

10. be in with To be on good terms with someone, especially with a group, to one's potential advantage: Although he is poor, he is in with the rich crowd and always goes on expensive trips with them.

See also:

References in classic literature

Irwine, with whom I desire you to be in perfect charity, far as he may be from satisfying your demands on the clerical character.

View in context

Even these men seemed to be in darkness too; for no light shone through the chinks in the door, nor were they moving, as their custom was, but quite still: the silence being unbroken by so much as the creaking of a board.

View in context

The 29-yearold former Shrewsbury Town skipper has made just six starts and four substitute appearances in League One this term, and will be increasingly frustrated at seeing his career stall when he should be in his prime.

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While no unifying principle emerges, cases finding exceptions to the eight corners rule relied on 1) facts that are uncontroverted or conceded by the policyholder; and 2) facts that would be in the policyholder's possession at the time the claim was filed (the employment relationship in Nateman, the boat's horsepower in Keen, the existence of a prior suit in Acosta, and the provision of notice in Composite Structures).

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gun without its discharging, the safety would always have to be in the

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If you are caught harboring them, you might very well be in violation of the law."

Arizona's Underground Railroad

"We're violating federal law by giving this money to people who don't have a right to be in the country." The local belief among Mattawa's white residents, based largely on these reports, is echoed b) Sergeant Steve Jensen of the Mattawa police department when he says, "These women are bringing in $10,000 a month at least from taxpayer dollars."

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The court concluded that the attorney-client communications would be in issue only to the extent the cedent intended to rely on them to prove its claims.(28)

Discovery of reinsurance information in insurance coverage litigation

The North River court observed, "Without 'follow the fortunes' doctrine, reinsureds would be in the impossible position of advancing defenses in coverage contests that could be used against them by reinsurers seeking to deny liability."(8)

Common reinsurance issues: follow the fortunes, late notice and rescission