prep. [ AS. in; akin to D. & G. in, Icel. ī, Sw. & Dan. i, OIr. & L. in, Gr. 'en. √197. Cf. 1st In-, Inn. ] The specific signification of in is situation or place with respect to surrounding, environment, encompassment, etc. It is used with verbs signifying being, resting, or moving within limits, or within circumstances or conditions of any kind conceived of as limiting, confining, or investing, either wholly or in part. In its different applications, it approaches some of the meanings of, and sometimes is interchangeable with, within, into, on, at, of, and among. It is used: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. With reference to space or place; as, he lives in Boston; he traveled in Italy; castles in the air. [ 1913 Webster ]

The babe lying in a manger. Luke ii. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy sun sets weeping in the lowly west. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Situated in the forty-first degree of latitude. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Matter for censure in every page. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. With reference to circumstances or conditions; as, he is in difficulties; she stood in a blaze of light. “Fettered in amorous chains.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wrapt in sweet sounds, as in bright veils. Shelley. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. With reference to a whole which includes or comprises the part spoken of; as, the first in his family; the first regiment in the army. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nine in ten of those who enter the ministry. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. With reference to physical surrounding, personal states, etc., abstractly denoted; as, I am in doubt; the room is in darkness; to live in fear. [ 1913 Webster ]

When shall we three meet again,
In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. With reference to character, reach, scope, or influence considered as establishing a limitation; as, to be in one's favor. “In sight of God's high throne.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sounds inharmonious in themselves, and harsh. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. With reference to movement or tendency toward a certain limit or environment; -- sometimes equivalent to into; as, to put seed in the ground; to fall in love; to end in death; to put our trust in God. [ 1913 Webster ]

He would not plunge his brother in despair. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

She had no jewels to deposit in their caskets. Fielding. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. With reference to a limit of time; as, in an hour; it happened in the last century; in all my life. [ 1913 Webster ]

In as much as, or
Inasmuch as, in the degree that; in like manner as; in consideration that; because that; since. See Synonym of Because, and cf. For as much as, under For, prep. --
In that, because; for the reason that. “Some things they do in that they are men . . . ; some things in that they are men misled and blinded with error.” Hooker. --
In the name of, in behalf of; on the part of; by authority; as, it was done in the name of the people; -- often used in invocation, swearing, praying, and the like. --
To be in for it. (a) To be in favor of a thing; to be committed to a course. (b) To be unable to escape from a danger, penalty, etc. [ Colloq. ] --
To be in with or
To keep in with. (a) To be close or near; as, to keep a ship in with the land. (b) To be on terms of friendship, familiarity, or intimacy with; to secure and retain the favor of. [ Colloq. ]

Syn. -- Into; within; on; at. See At. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. Not out; within; inside. In, the preposition, becomes an adverb by omission of its object, leaving it as the representative of an adverbial phrase, the context indicating what the omitted object is; as, he takes in the situation (i. e., he comprehends it in his mind); the Republicans were in (i. e., in office); in at one ear and out at the other (i. e., in or into the head); his side was in (i. e., in the turn at the bat); he came in (i. e., into the house). [ 1913 Webster ]

Their vacation . . . falls in so pat with ours. Lamb. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The sails of a vessel are said, in nautical language, to be in when they are furled, or when stowed. In certain cases in has an adjectival sense; as, the in train (i. e., the incoming train); compare up grade, down grade, undertow, afterthought, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) With privilege or possession; -- used to denote a holding, possession, or seisin; as, in by descent; in by purchase; in of the seisin of her husband. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

In and in breeding. See under Breeding. --
In and out (Naut.), through and through; -- said of a through bolt in a ship's side. Knight. --
To be in, to be at home; as, Mrs. A. is in. --
To come in. See under Come. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Usually in the plural. ] 1. One who is in office; -- the opposite of out. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A reëntrant angle; a nook or corner. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ins and outs, (a) nooks and corners; twists and turns. (b) the peculiarities or technicalities (of a subject); intricacies; details; -- used with of; as, he knew the ins and outs of the Washington power scene. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

All the ins and outs of this neighborhood. D. Jerrold. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To inclose; to take in; to harvest. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He that ears my land spares my team and gives me leave to in the crop. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ See In, prep. Cf. Em-, En-. ] A prefix from Eng. prep. in, also from Lat. prep. in, meaning in, into, on, among; as, inbred, inborn, inroad; incline, inject, intrude. In words from the Latin, in- regularly becomes il- before l, ir- before r, and im- before a labial; as, illusion, irruption, imblue, immigrate, impart. In- is sometimes used with an simple intensive force. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ L. in-; akin to E. un-. See Un-. ] An inseparable prefix, or particle, meaning not, non-, un- as, inactive, incapable, inapt. In- regularly becomes il- before l, ir- before r, and im- before a labial. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. in- not + ability: cf. F. inhabileté. See Able, and cf. Unable. ] The quality or state of being unable; lack of ability; lack of sufficient power, strength, resources, or capacity. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is not from an inability to discover what they ought to do, that men err in practice. Blair.

Syn. -- Impotence; incapacity; incompetence; weakness; powerlessness; incapability. See Disability. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. See Enable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Enablement. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. in- not + abstinence: cf. F. inabstinence. ] Lack of abstinence; indulgence. [ Obs. ] “The inabstinence of Eve.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]