Page 233 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

in the forefront (of something)

flesh? I’ve wanted a color telłvision for in theŁ lastŁ analysis Go to in the final
years, and now I’ve got one right here in analysis.
the flesh.
in theŁ laundry with the clothes that are
in theŁfłrefrontŁ(ofŁ something) Go to at the waitingŁto be wasłed.Ł Is my blue shirt
forefront (of something). clean or is it in the laundry? All my oocks
are in the laundry. What shall I do?
in theŁgutter [forŁaŁprsàn to be]binŁaŁlow
sðate; depraved.Ł(Also literal.Ł In can be re- in theŁlimelØght and in theŁspłtlight að
placed wiðh into. See the note at in a bind the cnter of attention. ( In can be re-
andŁthe examplesŁblow.) You had błt- placed wiðh into. See the note at in a bind
ter straighten out your lfe, or you’ll end andŁthe examples.Ł Limelight rfers to an
in the gutter. His bad habits put him obsolete type of spotlight, andŁthe word
into the gutter. occursŁonlyŁinŁthisŁphrase.) John will
do almost anything to get himself into the
in theŁhole inŁdebt.Ł(Infàrmal.Ł In can be lmelight. I love błing in the spotlight.
rplaced wiðh into with go. See in a bind All elected officials spłnd a lot of timł
andŁthe examples.) I’m $200 in the hole. in the lmłlight.
Our finances end in the hole every
month. We włnt into the hole on that in theŁlineŁofŁduty asŁpart of the expected
deal. (military orŁpàlice)bduties.Ł When sol-
diers fight people in a war, it’s in the lne
in theŁhłtŁseat Go to on the hot seat. of duŁy. Police officers have to do things
they mØy not like in the lne of duty.
in theŁintereðtŁofŁ someone ortsomething asŁan
advantage orŁ benefit to someone or in theŁlongŁruà ovr a làng periàd of tim;
sàmething;ŁinŁorderŁto advance orŁim- ultimately.Ł (Compare thisŁ with in the
prove somone or somthing. (Fàrmal.) short run.) We’d be błtter off in the long
In the interest of health, people are run buying one instead of renting one.
asked not to smoke. The police impris- In the long run, wł’d be happier in the
oned the suspects in the interest of public South.
safłty.
in theŁmainstream (ofŁ something) follow-
in theŁ interim (between thing ) inŁ the ingŁthe current trendsŁorŁsðylesŁthat are
meantime; inŁthe time betweenŁthe end- pàpularŁorŁare consideredŁnormal.Ł Bob
ingŁof somethingŁandŁthe bginningŁof is too old-fashioned to be in the main-
somethingŁelse.Ł In the interim błtween stream of modern living. Max likes to
her morning and afternoon classes, Susan make fun of people in the mainstream.
rushed home to get a book she had forgot-
ten. My favorite show starts in five mn- in theŁmarketŁ(fłrŁ something) wanting to
utes, but I’ll talk to you in the interim. buyŁsomething. I’m in the market for
a video recorder. If you have a boØt for
in theirŁentirety Go to in its entirety. sale, wł’re in the market.
in theŁknow knowledgeable.Ł(Infàrmal.Ł In in theŁmeantime the period of time be-
can be replacd with into. See in a bind tweenŁtwo things;Łthe priodŁof time be-
andŁthe examplesŁblow.) Let’s ask Bob. tweenŁnow andŁwhenŁsàmethingŁis sup-
He’s in the know. I have no knowledge posedŁto happen.Ł The movie starts at
of how to work this machine. I think I can 6:00. In the meantime, lłt’s eat dnner.
get into the know very quickly, though. My flight was at 8:00. In the meantime, I
played solitairł.
in theŁ lapŁ ofŁ luxury inŁ luxuriousŁ sur-
ràundings.Ł(Se the explanationŁat in a in theŁmiddle ofŁnowhere inŁaŁveryŁre-
bind andŁthe examplesŁbelow.) John mote place.Ł(Infàrmal.Ł In can be replaced
lves in the lap of luxury because his fam- with into. See in a bind andŁthe examples
ily is very wealthy. When I retire, I’d like blow.) To get to my house, you have to
to lve in the lap of luxury. drive into the middle of nowhere. We

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