ins and outs

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ins′ and outs′, 

1. physical characteristics, as windings and turnings, nooks, or recesses:
   the ins and outs of a subterranean passage.
2. intricacies;
   particulars;
   peculiarities:
   the ins and outs of the tax laws.
• 1880–85

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in /ɪn/  prep. 

1. This word is used before a noun that refers to space, a place, or to something that puts limits on something else, to show that the following noun includes something within it, contains something within it, or surrounds something:
   They were walking in the park (= The park limits where they were walking, and surrounds them or contains them). The horses were galloping in the field. She was still in bed when I came home. The doll is in the box; leave it there.
2. This word is used before a noun that is abstract, cannot be touched, or refers to an occupation, interest, quality, characteristic, etc. It is used to show that the following noun includes or contains someone or something:
   He was an important character in the play (= The play includes this character). She worked in politics. In the last section of the book we list irregular verbs. There was a lot of evil in his personality.
3. This word is used to show motion or direction from outside to a point within, and to mean "into'':
   Let's go in the house. Put the doll in the box.
4. This word is used before a noun that refers to a period of time, to show that something happens during that time, or occurs within a period or limit of that time:
   in ancient times (= something happened during ancient times). We did the task in only ten minutes. I love Paris in the autumn. We will be there in an hour. She is an actress in her twenties.
5. This word is used with a following noun to show that the action, situation, condition, or manner of action is limited or described by that noun:
   to speak in a whisper. They are similar in appearance. He was dressed in a kilt; she was in her pajamas. We were not afraid to meet in public. Smith shook his head in amazement.
6. This word is used with a noun to show that the action described is accomplished with the use of, or by means of, that noun:
   speaking in French; written in ink.
7. This word is used with a noun, or a present participle form of a verb, to show what will result from some other action:
   In showing his emotions so clearly, he risked losing his advantage.
8. This word is used to indicate a change from one state to another:
   to break in half.
9. This word is used with a noun to indicate the aim or purpose of something:
   speaking in honor of the event.
10. This word is used with a noun that describes the color of something:
    The walls were in yellow.

adv. 

11. in or into some place, position, state, relation, etc.:
    Please come in. Have your papers handed in by Tuesday.
12. having arrived:
    Her plane isn't in yet.
13. in one's house or office:
    I wasn't in all day; I had to go to court.
14. in office or power:
    That party has been voted in, but it may soon be voted out.
15. in possession or occupancy:
    The doctor is in.
16. on good terms;
    in favor:
    She got in good with her boss.
17. in season:
    Watermelons will soon be in.

adj. 

18. inner;
    internal:
    the in part of a mechanism.
19. Informal Terms
    • fashionable;
      stylish;
      in style:
      It was the in place to dine. Wild, colorful hats are definitely in this year.
    • [before a noun] understood only by a special group:
      an in joke.
20. included in a favored group:
    [before a noun] She was never part of the in crowd.
21. plentiful;
    available.
22. Government being in power:
    the in party during the crisis.

n. [countable]

23. Government Usually, the ins. persons who are in power:
    The ins will continue to dominate.
24. pull or influence:
    He's got an in with the senator.

Idioms

25. Idioms in for, certain to undergo (a disagreeable experience):
    It looks as if we're in for stormy weather. The economy is in for another tough six months.
26. Idioms, Slang Terms in for it, [Slang.] about to suffer punishment or unpleasant consequences:
    We're in for it now, unless we can escape through the back before they catch us.
27. have it in for, [~ + object] to cause difficulty for;
    to make trouble for:
    That teacher seems to have it in for him; she's always picking on him.
28. Idioms in that, because;
    inasmuch as:
    I expected a better price from that store in that I'd bought all my other computer equipment from them previously.
29. the ins and outs of, all the details or parts of:
    a book on the ins and outs of photography.

Usage

The most basic meaning of this word is that of general limits or boundaries put on places and actions. In referring to place and to time, in is the preposition that is more general and less specific in its meaning than at and on. Thus, we have
in Russia; in the autumn,
both of which are more general than
on Avenue C, on the twelfth of June and at 23rd Street and Lexington Avenue; at eight o'clock.
See the note under at.

IN,  an abbreviation of:

1. Indiana.

in-¹ ,prefix. 

1. in- is attached to verbs and nouns and means "in;
   into;
   on:''
   in- + come → income (= money coming in);
   in- + corporate (= body) → incorporate (= make into one body);
   in- + land → inland (= in the land).

in-² ,prefix. 

1. in- is attached to adjectives and means "not:''
   in- + accurate → inaccurate (= not accurate);
   in- + capable → incapable (= not capable);
   in- + direct → indirect (= not direct).
   For variants before other sounds, see im-, il-, ir-.

-in,³ suffix. 

1. -in is attached to some verbs to form nouns that refer to organized protests through, using, or in support of the named activity:
   sit + -in → sit-in (= a protest in which participants sit and block passage).

in.,  an abbreviation of:

1. Weights and Measures inch.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

out /aʊt/   adv. 

1. not in the usual place, position, state, etc.:
   Those books are out of alphabetical order.
2. away from one's home, country, work, etc., as specified:
   to go out of town.
3. in or into the outdoors:
   to go out for a walk; Take the dog out.
4. to a state of exhaustion;
   to a condition in which everything is totally used up:
   to pump a well out.
5. to the end or conclusion, a final decision, etc.:
   to say it all out.
6. to a point or state of dying out or fading away:
   That practice is on the way out.
7. not burning or lit:
   The lights went out. Put that cigarette out.
8. in or into a state of neglect, disuse, etc.:
   That style is out.
9. so as not to be in the normal or proper position or state;
   out of joint:
   Her back went out after her fall.
10. in or into public notice or knowledge:
    Her story has come out at last.
11. so as to extend or project:
    Let's stretch out on the grass. A nail was sticking out.
12. from a certain source or material:
    made out of scraps.
13. so as to deprive or be deprived:
    to be cheated out of one's money.
14. aloud or loudly:
    to cry out.
15. thoroughly;
    completely;
    entirely:
    The children tired me out. Clean out the room.
16. so as to make impossible to see, read, or understand:
    to cross out a misspelling.

adj. 

17. not at one's home or place of employment;
    absent:
    [be + ~] will be out all week.
18. not open to consideration:
    [be + ~] She gets airsick, so flying is out.
19. wanting;
    lacking;
    without:
    [be + ~] We had some tickets but now we're out.
20. removed from or not in effective operation, play, etc.:
    [be + ~] He's out for the season with a leg injury.
21. no longer holding a job, public office, etc.;
    unemployed:
    [be + ~ + of + object] to be out of work.
22. no longer working or operating;
    extinguished:
    [be + ~] Are the lights out?
23. finished;
    ended:
    [be + ~] before the week is out.
24. not currently fashionable or in style:
    [be + ~] Fitted waistlines are out this season.
25. unconscious;
    senseless:
    [be + ~] A few drinks and he's out.
26. Government not in power, authority, or the like:
    a member of the out party.
27. Sport [Baseball.]
    • [be + ~] (of a batter) not succeeding in getting or staying on base:
      Two men are out but the bases are loaded.
28. [be + ~] outside of official limits or the prescribed area, as in the playing of a game on a marked court or field;
    out of bounds.
29. Business having a financial loss to an indicated extent:
    [be + ~] They were out millions.
30. not correct or accurate:
    [be + ~] The builder's estimate was out by ten thousand dollars.
31. located at a distance;
    outlying:
    [before a noun] the out islands.
32. Slang Terms publicly acknowledged:
    an out lesbian.

prep. 

33. (used to indicate movement or direction from the inside to the outside of something):
    She ran out the door.
34. (used to indicate location):
    The car is out back.
35. (used to indicate movement away from a central point):
    Let's drive out the old parkway.

interj. 

36. begone! Go away!:
    Out! And don't come back!
37. Radio and Television (used in radio communications to signal that the sender has finished the message and is not expecting a reply). Compare over (def. 32).

n. [countable]

38. a means of escape from responsibility, embarrassment, argument, confrontation, etc.:
    If we just give him an out, maybe he'll resign.
39. Government Usually, outs. [plural] persons or groups not in office or lacking status, power, or authority.
40. Sport [Baseball.]
    • an instance of putting out a batter or base runner.

v. [no object]

41. to come out;
    become public:
    The truth will out.

Idioms

42. Idioms all out, with the highest or greatest effort:
    They went all out to finish by Friday.
43. Idioms on the outs, in a state of disagreement;
    quarreling;
    at odds.
44. Idioms out for, [be + ~ + object] strongly or eagerly determined to acquire, achieve, etc.:
    He was out for money.
45. Idioms out from under, [be + ~ (+ object)] no longer having burdens or responsibilities, esp. free of debt.
46. out of, [~ + object]
    • Idioms not within:
      They ran out of the house.
    • Idioms beyond the reach of:
      out of sight.
    • Idioms not in a condition of:
      out of danger.
    • Idioms without;
      lacking:
      We're out of milk.
    • Idioms from within or among:
      Take the jokers out of the pack of cards.
    • Idioms because of;
      owing to:
      They did that out of spite.
    • Idioms made of;
      constructed from:
      a kite made out of string, paper, and glue.
47. Idioms, Informal Terms out of it, [Informal.] [usually: be + ~]
    • Idioms not participating:
      I'm out of it these days; tell me what's been going on.
    • Idioms not conscious:
      The sedative worked; he's out of it.
    • confused;
      muddled:
      too out of it to remember his own name.
48. Idioms out of place:
    • Idioms not in the correct position or order.
    • Idioms not suitable to the circumstances or surroundings:
      behavior out of place in church.

out-, prefix. 

1. out- is attached to verbs and means "going beyond, surpassing, or outdoing (the action of the verb)'':
   out- + bid → outbid;
   out- + do → outdo;
   out- + last → outlast.
2. out- is also attached to nouns to form certain compounds, and means "outside;
   out'': out- + cast → outcast;
   out- + come → outcome;
   out- + side → outside.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in  (in), prep., adv., adj., n., v., inned, in•ning. 
prep. 

1. (used to indicate inclusion within space, a place, or limits):
   walking in the park.
2. (used to indicate inclusion within something abstract or immaterial):
   in politics; in the autumn.
3. (used to indicate inclusion within or occurrence during a period or limit of time):
   in ancient times; a task done in ten minutes.
4. (used to indicate limitation or qualification, as of situation, condition, relation, manner, action, etc.):
   to speak in a whisper; to be similar in appearance.
5. (used to indicate means):
   sketched in ink; spoken in French.
6. (used to indicate motion or direction from outside to a point within) into:
   Let's go in the house.
7. (used to indicate transition from one state to another):
   to break in half.
8. (used to indicate object or purpose):
   speaking in honor of the event.
9. in that, because;
   inasmuch as:
   In that you won't have time for supper, let me give you something now.

adv. 

10. in or into some place, position, state, relation, etc.:
    Please come in.
11. on the inside;
    within.
12. in one's house or office.
13. in office or power.
14. in possession or occupancy.
15. having the turn to play, as in a game.
16. [Baseball.] (of an infielder or outfielder) in a position closer to home plate than usual;
    short:
    The third baseman played in, expecting a bunt.
17. on good terms;
    in favor:
    He's in with his boss, but he doubts it will last.
18. in vogue;
    in style:
    He says straw hats will be in this year.
19. in season:
    Watermelons will soon be in.
20. be in for, to be bound to undergo something, esp. a disagreeable experience:
    We are in for a long speech.
21. in for it, [Slang.] about to suffer chastisement or unpleasant consequences, esp. of one's own actions or omissions:
    I forgot our anniversary again, and I'll be in for it now.
    Also,[Brit.,] for it. 
22. in with, on friendly terms with;
    familiar or associating with:
    They are in with all the important people.

adj. 

23. located or situated within;
    inner;
    internal:
    the in part of a mechanism.
24. [Informal.]
    • in favor with advanced or sophisticated people;
      fashionable;
      stylish:
      the in place to dine; Her new novel is the in book to read this summer.
    • comprehensible only to a special or ultrasophisticated group:
      an in joke.
25. well-liked;
    included in a favored group.
26. inward;
    incoming;
    inbound:
    an in train.
27. plentiful;
    available.
28. being in power, authority, control, etc.:
    a member of the in party.
29. playing the last nine holes of an eighteen-hole golf course (opposed to out):
    His in score on the second round was 34.

n. 

30. Usually, ins. persons in office or political power (distinguished from outs).
31. a member of the political party in power:
    The election made him an in.
32. pull or influence;
    a social advantage or connection:
    He's got an in with the senator.
33. (in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) a return or service that lands within the in-bounds limits of a court or section of a court (opposed to out).

v.t. Brit. [Dial.]

34. to enclose.

• bef. 900; 1925–30 for def. 32; Middle English, Old English; cognate with German, Dutch, Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Gothic in, Old Norse ī, Latin in, Greek en, Lithuanian į

IN ,

1. Indiana (approved esp. for use with zip code).

In ,[Symbol, Chem.]

1. Chemistry indium.

in-¹ ,

1. a prefix representing English in (income;
   indwelling;
   inland, etc.), but used also as a verb-formative with transitive, intensive, or sometimes little apparent force (intrust;
   inweave, etc.). It often assumes the same forms as in-², such as en-, em-, im- ³. 

• see in Middle English, Old English

in-² ,

1. a prefix of Latin origin meaning primarily "in,'' but used also as a verb-formative with the same force as in- ¹ (incarcerate;
   incantation).

Also, il-, im-, ir-. Cf. em-, en-. 

• Latin, combining form of in (preposition); cognate with in

in-³ ,

1. a prefix of Latin origin, corresponding to English un-, having a negative or privative force, freely used as an English formative, esp. of adjectives and their derivatives and of nouns (inattention;
   indefensible;
   inexpensive;
   inorganic;
   invariable). It assumes the same phonetic phases as in- ² (impartial;
   immeasurable;
   illiterate;
   irregular, etc.). In French, it became en- and thus occurs unfelt in such words as enemy (French ennemi, Latin inimicus, lit., not friendly).

Also, il-, im-, ir-. 

• Latin; akin to an-¹, a-⁶, un-¹

Synonyms

The prefixes in- and un- may both have, among other uses, a negative force. In- is the form derived from Latin, and is therefore used in learned words or in words derived from Latin or (rarely) Greek:
inaccessible, inaccuracy, inadequate,
etc. Un- is the native form going back to Old English, used in words of native origin, and sometimes used in combination with words of other origins if these words are in common use:
unloving, ungodly, unfeeling, unnecessary, unsafe.

-in¹ ,

1. a suffix, occurring in adjectives of Greek and Latin origin, meaning "pertaining to,'' and (in nouns thence derived) also imitated in English (coffin;
   cousin, etc.).

• Greek -inos, -inē, -inon
• Latin -inus, -ina, -inum
• Old French
• Middle English -in, -ine

-in² ,

1. Chemistry, Mineralogy a noun suffix used in a special manner in chemical and mineralogical nomenclature (glycerin;
   acetin, etc.). In spelling, usage wavers between -in and -ine. In chemistry a certain distinction of use is attempted, basic substances having the termination -ine rather than -in (aconitine;
   aniline, etc.), and -in being restricted to certain neutral compounds, glycerides, glucosides, and proteids (albumin;
   palmitin, etc.), but this distinction is not always observed.

• Neo-Latin -ina. See -ine²

-in³ ,

1. a suffixal use of the adverb in, extracted from sit-in, forming compound nouns, usually from verbs, referring to organized protests through or in support of the named activity (kneel-in;
   chain-in;
   be-in) or, more generally, to any organized social or cultural activity (cook-in;
   sing-in).

in. ,

1. Weights and Measures inch;
   inches.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

out  (out), adv. 

1. away from, or not in, the normal or usual place, position, state, etc.:
   out of alphabetical order; to go out to dinner.
2. away from one's home, country, work, etc., as specified:
   to go out of town.
3. in or into the outdoors:
   to go out for a walk.
4. to a state of exhaustion, extinction, or depletion:
   to pump a well out.
5. to the end or conclusion;
   to a final decision or resolution:
   to say it all out.
6. to a point or state of extinction, nonexistence, etc.:
   to blow out the candle; a practice on the way out.
7. in or into a state of neglect, disuse, etc.;
   not in current vogue or fashion:
   That style has gone out.
8. so as not to be in the normal or proper position or state;
   out of joint:
   His back went out after his fall.
9. in or into public notice or knowledge:
   The truth is out at last.
10. seeking openly and energetically to do or have:
    to be out for a good time.
11. not in present possession or use, as on loan:
    The librarian said that the book was still out.
12. on strike:
    The miners go out at midnight.
13. so as to project or extend:
    to stretch out; stick your tongue out.
14. in or into activity, existence, or outward manifestation:
    A rash came out on her arm.
15. from a specified source or material:
    made out of scraps.
16. from a state of composure, satisfaction, or harmony:
    to be put out over trifles.
17. in or into a state of confusion, vexation, dispute, variance, or unfriendliness:
    to fall out about trifles.
18. so as to deprive or be deprived:
    to be cheated out of one's money.
19. so as to use the last part of:
    to run out of gas.
20. from a number, stock, or store:
    to point out the errors.
21. aloud or loudly:
    to cry out.
22. with completeness or effectiveness:
    to fill out.
23. thoroughly;
    completely;
    entirely:
    The children tired me out.
24. so as to obliterate or make undecipherable:
    to cross out a misspelling; to ink out.
25. Idioms all out, with maximum effort;
    thoroughly or wholeheartedly:
    They went all out to finish by Friday.
26. Idioms out and away, to a surpassing extent;
    far and away;
    by far:
    It was out and away the best apple pie she had ever eaten.
27. Idioms out for, aggressively determined to acquire, achieve, etc.:
    He's out for all the money he can get.
28. Idioms out from under, out of a difficult situation, esp. of debts or other obligations:
    The work piled up while I was away and I don't know how I'll ever get out from under.
29. out of:
    • Idioms not within:
      out of the house.
    • Idioms beyond the reach of:
      The boat's passengers had sailed out of hearing.
    • Idioms not in a condition of:
      out of danger.
    • Idioms so as to deprive or be deprived of.
    • Idioms from within or among:
      Take the jokers out of the pack.
    • Idioms because of;
      owing to:
      out of loyalty.
    • Idioms foaled by (a dam):
      Grey Dancer out of Lady Grey.
30. Idioms, Informal Terms out of it, [Informal.]
    • not part of or acceptable within an activity, social group, or fashion:
      She felt out of it because none of her friends were at the party.
    • not conscious;
      drunk or heavily drugged.
    • not alert or clearheaded;
      confused;
      muddled.
    • eliminated from contention:
      If our team loses two more games, we'll be out of it.
31. out of sight. See sight (def. 19).
32. Nautical out of trim, (of a ship) drawing excessively at the bow or stern.

adj. 

33. not at one's home or place of employment;
    absent:
    I stopped by to visit you last night, but you were out.
34. not open to consideration;
    out of the question:
    I wanted to go by plane, but all the flights are booked, so that's out.
35. wanting;
    lacking;
    without:
    We had some but now we're out.
36. removed from or not in effective operation, play, a turn at bat, or the like, as in a game:
    He's out for the season because of an injury.
37. no longer having or holding a job, public office, etc.;
    unemployed;
    disengaged (usually fol. by of ):
    to be out of work.
38. inoperative;
    extinguished:
    The elevator is out. Are the lights out?
39. finished;
    ended:
    before the week is out.
40. not currently stylish, fashionable, or in vogue:
    Fitted waistlines are out this season.
41. unconscious;
    senseless:
    Two drinks and he's usually out.
42. Government not in power, authority, or the like:
    a member of the out party.
43. Sport [Baseball.]
    • (of a batter) not succeeding in getting on base:
      He was out at first on an attempted bunt.
    • (of a base runner) not successful in an attempt to advance a base or bases:
      He was out in attempting to steal second base.
44. beyond fixed or regular limits;
    out of bounds:
    The ball was out.
45. Business having a pecuniary loss or expense to an indicated extent:
    The company will be out millions of dollars if the new factory doesn't open on schedule.
46. incorrect or inaccurate:
    His calculations are out.
47. not in practice;
    unskillful from lack of practice:
    Your bow hand is out.
48. beyond the usual range, size, weight, etc. (often used in combination):
    an outsize bed.
49. exposed;
    made bare, as by holes in one's clothing:
    out at the knees.
50. at variance;
    at odds;
    unfriendly:
    They are out with each other.
51. moving or directed outward;
    outgoing:
    the out train.
52. not available, plentiful, etc.:
    Mums are out till next fall.
53. external;
    exterior;
    outer.
54. located at a distance;
    outlying:
    We sailed to six of the out islands.
55. Sport [Cricket.] not having its innings:
    the out side.
56. Sport of or pertaining to the playing of the first nine holes of an 18-hole golf course (opposed to in):
    His out score on the second round was 33.

prep. 

57. (used to indicate movement or direction from the inside to the outside of something):
    He looked out the window. She ran out the door.
58. (used to indicate location):
    The car is parked out back.
59. (used to indicate movement away from a central point):
    Let's drive out the old parkway.

interj. 

60. begone! away!
61. Radio and Television (used in radio communications to signify that the sender has finished the message and is not expecting or prepared to receive a reply.) Cf. over (def. 61).
62. [Archaic.] (an exclamation of abhorrence, indignation, reproach, or grief (usually fol. by upon):
    Out upon you!

n. 

63. a means of escape or excuse, as from a place, punishment, retribution, responsibility, etc.:
    He always left himself an out.
64. Government a person who lacks status, power, or authority, esp. in relation to a particular group or situation.
65. Government Usually, outs. persons not in office or political power (distinguished from ins).
66. Sport [Baseball.] a put-out.
67. Sport (in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) a return or service that does not land within the in-bounds limits of a court or section of a court (opposed to in).
68. something that is out, as a projecting corner.
69. [Print.]
    • the omission of a word or words.
    • the word or words omitted.
70. British Terms [Northern Brit. Dial.] an outing.
71. Informal Terms, Idioms be on the or at outs with, to be estranged from (another person);
    be unfriendly or on bad terms with:
    He is on the outs with his brother.

v.i. 

72. to go or come out.
73. to become public, evident, known, etc.:
    The truth will out.
74. to make known;
    tell;
    utter (fol. by with):
    Out with the truth!

v.t. 

75. to eject or expel;
    discharge;
    oust.
76. to intentionally expose (a secret homosexual, esp. a public figure).

• bef. 900; (adverb, adverbial) Middle English; Old English ūt; cognate with Dutch uit, German aus, Old Norse, Gothic ūt; akin to Sanskrit ud-; (adjective, adjectival, interjection, and preposition) Middle English, from the adverb, adverbial; (verb, verbal) Middle English outen, Old English ūtian to put out, cognate with Old Frisian ūtia

out-, 

1. a prefixal use of out, adv., occurring in various senses in compounds (outcast, outcome, outside), and serving also to form many transitive verbs denoting a going beyond, surpassing, or outdoing in the particular action indicated (outbid, outdo, outgeneral, outlast, outstay, outrate).

• Middle English; Old English ūt-; see out

out, +v.t. 

1. to intentionally expose (a secret homosexual, a spy, etc.).

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

in / ɪn/ preposition

1. inside; within: no smoking in the auditorium
2. at a place where there is: lying in the shade, walking in the rain
3. indicating a state, situation, or condition: in a deep sleep, standing in silence
4. before or when (a period of time) has elapsed: come back in one year
5. using (a language, etc) as a means of communication: written in code
6. concerned or involved with, esp as an occupation: in journalism
7. expressing a ratio, proportion, or probability: one in five boys
8. while or by performing the action of; as a consequence of or by means of: in crossing the street he was run over
9. used to indicate goal or purpose: in honour of the president
10. (used of certain animals) about to give birth to; pregnant with (specified offspring): in foal, in calf
11. a variant of into: she fell in the water, he tore the paper in two
12. have it in one ⇒ (often followed by an infinitive) to have the ability (to do something)
13. in that, in so far as ⇒ (conjunction) because or to the extent that; inasmuch as: I regret my remark in that it upset you
14. nothing in it ⇒ no difference or interval between two things

adverb (particle)

1. in or into a particular place; inwards or indoors: come in, bring him in
2. so as to achieve office, power, or authority: the Conservatives got in at the last election
3. so as to enclose: block in, cover in a hole
4. (in certain games) so as to take one's turn or one's team's turn at a certain aspect of the play; taking one's innings: you have to get the other side out before you go in
5. (of a fire) alight
6. (in combination) indicating an activity or gathering, esp one organized to protest against something: teach-in, work-in
7. in at ⇒ present at (the beginning, end, etc)
8. in for ⇒ about to be affected by (something, esp something unpleasant): you're in for a shock
9. in on ⇒ acquainted with or sharing in: I was in on all his plans
10. in with ⇒ associated with; friendly with; regarded highly by
11. have it in for, have got it in for ⇒ to wish or intend harm towards

adjective

1. (stressed) fashionable; modish: the in thing to do
2. competing: you've got to be in to win

noun

1. ins and outs ⇒ intricacies or complications; details: the ins and outs of a computer system

Etymology: Old English; compare Old High German in, Welsh yn, Old Norse ī, Latin in, Greek en

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

out / aʊt/ adverb

1. (often used as a particle) at or to a point beyond the limits of some location; outside: get out at once
2. (particle) out of consciousness: I passed out at the sight of blood
3. (particle) used to indicate a burst of activity as indicated by the verb: fever broke out
4. (particle) used to indicate obliteration of an object: the graffiti were painted out
5. (particle) used to indicate an approximate drawing or description: sketch out, chalk out
6. public; revealed: the secret is out
7. on sale or on view to the public: the book is being brought out next May
8. (of a young woman) in or into polite society: Lucinda had a fabulous party when she came out
9. (of the sun, stars, etc) visible
10. (of a jury) withdrawn to consider a verdict in private
11. (particle) used to indicate exhaustion or extinction: the sugar's run out, put the light out
12. (particle) used to indicate a state of physical or emotional exhaustion: tired out, partied out
13. (particle) used to indicate a goal or object achieved at the end of the action specified by the verb: he worked it out, let's fight it out, then!
14. (preceded by a superlative) existing: the friendliest dog out
15. an expression in signalling, radio, etc, to indicate the end of a transmission
16. out of ⇒ at or to a point outside: out of his reach
17. away from; not in: stepping out of line, out of focus
18. because of, motivated by: doing it out of jealousy
19. from (a material or source): made out of plastic
20. not or no longer having any of (a substance, material, etc): we're out of sugar

adjective (postpositive)

1. not or not any longer worth considering: that plan is out because of the weather
2. not allowed: smoking on duty is out
3. (also prenominal) not in vogue; unfashionable: that sort of dress is out these days
4. (of a fire or light) no longer burning or providing illumination
5. not working: the radio's out
6. not in; not at home
7. desirous of or intent on (something or doing something): I'm out for as much money as I can get
8. Also: out on strike on strike
9. (in several games and sports) denoting the state in which a player is caused to discontinue active participation, esp in some specified role
10. used up; exhausted: our supplies are completely out
11. worn into holes: this sweater is out at the elbows
12. inaccurate, deficient, or discrepant: out by six pence
13. not in office or authority
14. completed or concluded, as of time: before the year is out
15. in flower: the roses are out now
16. having identified and made known one's sexual orientation or gender identity

preposition

1. out of; out through: we ran out the door

interjection

1. an exclamation, usually peremptory, of dismissal, reproach, etc
2. (in wireless telegraphy) an expression used to signal that the speaker is signing off
3. out with it ⇒ a command to make something known immediately, without missing any details

noun

1. a method of escape from a place, difficult situation, punishment, etc
2. an instance of the putting out of a batter; putout
3. ins and outs ⇒
   See in130

verb

1. (transitive) to put or throw out
2. (intransitive) to be made known or effective despite efforts to the contrary (esp in the phrase will out): the truth will out
3. (transitive) to reveal the sexual orientation or gender identity of (a person, esp a public figure), often against their will
4. (transitive) to expose something secret, embarrassing, or unknown about (a person): she was outed as a drugs cheat

Etymology: Old English ūt; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse ūt, Old High German ūz, German ausUSAGE
The use of out as a preposition, though common in American English, is regarded as incorrect in British English: he climbed out of (not out) a window; he went out through the door