get an in with (someone)
To establish a connection with someone in a position of power. If you can get an in with the CEO, they'll definitely hire you. The club is pretty exclusive, but my cousin somehow got an in with one of the bouncers. A: "How are we going to get this past regulators?" B: "We just need to get an in with someone at the department who can process our case."
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
get an in with
Also, have an in with. Acquire (or have) influence with someone in authority. For example, The only way they'll allow us to film the play is if we get an in with the director, or We should have no problem, since Dad has an in with the inspector. This idiom employs the noun in the sense of "an introduction to someone of power, fame, or authority," a usage dating from the 1920s.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.