Idiom Category: General, Page 11

Ill at ease

If someone is ill at ease, they are worried or uncomfortable.

In a cleft stick

If you are in a cleft stick, you are in a difficult situation, caught between choices.

In a coon's age

A long time. Example: I haven't seen her in a coon's age.

In a fix

If you are in a fix, you are in trouble.

In a flash

If something happens in a flash, it happens very quickly indeed.

In a jam

If you are in a jam, you are in some trouble.  If you get out of a jam, you avoid trouble.

In a jiffy

If something happens in a jiffy, it happens very quickly.

In a rut

In a settled or established pattern, habit or course of action, especially a boring one.

In a tick

(UK) If someone will do something in a tick, they'll do it very soon or very quickly.

In a tight spot

If you're in a tight spot, you're in a difficult situation.

In all honesty

If you say something in all honesty, you are telling the complete truth. It can be used as a way of introducing a negative opinion whilst trying to be polite; in all honesty, I have to say that I wasn't very impressed.

In apple-pie order

If something is in apple-pie order, it is very neat and organised.

In cahoots

If people are in cahoots, they are conspiring together.

In dire straits

If you're in dire straits, you're in serious trouble or difficulties.

In dribs and drabs

If people arrive in dribs and drabs, they come in small groups at irregular intervals, instead of all arriving at the same time.

In droves

When things happen in droves, a lot happen at the same time or very quickly.

In full swing

If things are in full swing, they have been going for a sufficient period of time to be going well and very actively.

In high spirits

If someone is in high spirits, they are in a very good mood or feeling confident about something.

In hot water

If you are in hot water, you are in serious trouble.

In league with

If you're in league with someone, you have an agreement with them to do something, often something illegal or against the rules.

In light of

'In light of' is similar to 'due to'.

In my bad books

If you are in someone's bad books, they are angry with you. Likewise, if you are in their good books, they are pleased with you.

In my book

This idiom means 'in my opinion'.

In my good books

If someone is in your good books, you are pleased with or think highly of them at the moment.

In no uncertain terms

Clearly; precisely; emphatically without doubt.

In perfect form

When something is as it ought to be. Or, when used cynically, it may refer to someone whose excesses are on display; a caricature.

In so many words

This phrase may be used to mean 'approximately' or 'more or less'. I think it may have a sarcastic connotation in that the individual listening needed 'so many words' to get the point. It also may suggest the effort on the part of the speaker to explain an unpleasant truth or difficult concept.

In spades

(UK) If you have something in spades, you have a lot of it.

In stitches

If someone is in stitches, they are laughing uncontrollably.

In tandem

If people do things in tandem, they do them at the same time.

In the afterglow

When people feel joy and happiness following a positive event, they are in the afterglow of  it.

In the bag

If something is in the bag, it is certain that you will get it or achieve it

In the clear

If someone is in the clear, they are no longer suspected of or charged with wrongdoing.

In the dark

If you're in the dark, you don't know what is happening around you.

In the hole

If someone is in the hole, they have a lot of problems, especially financial ones.

In the hot seat

If someone's in the hot seat, they are the target for a lot of unwelcome criticism and examination.

In the know

If you are in the know, you have access to all the information about something, which other people don't have.

In the long run

This means 'over a long period of time', 'in the end' or 'in the final result'.

In the loop

If you're in the loop, you are fully informed about what is happening in a certain area or activity.

In the lurch

If you are left in the lurch, you are suddenly left in an embarrassing or tricky situation.

In the making

When something is in the making, it means it is in the process of being made.

In the offing

If something is in the offing, it is very likely to happen soon.

In the pipeline

If something's in the pipeline, it hasn't arrived yet but its arrival is expected.

In the running

If you have a reasonable chance, you're in the running.

In the saddle

If you're in the saddle, you are in control of a situation.

In the same boat

If people are in the same boat, they are in the same predicament or trouble.

In the short run

This refers to the immediate future.

In the swim

If you are in the swim, you are up-to-date with and fully informed about something.

In the swing

If things are in the swing, they are progressing well.

In the zone

If you are in the zone, you are very focused on what you have to do.

Suggest an Idiom