in
particle
Something passes through the edge of a container and ends up surrounded by its walls.
Where the picture shows up
- Come in and close the door.the picture itselfenter a room or building. You cross the edge of the container, the house, and are now inside.
- The keys are in my bag.the picture itselfinside a space or container. This is the picture itself: the thing is surrounded by walls.
- Please fill in this form.picture, stretchedwrite information in empty spaces. The empty boxes are small containers. You put words into them.
- She is in love / in trouble.picture, stretchedin a certain state or situation. A feeling or situation is treated like a space you are surrounded by.
- I'll see you in two weeks.picture, stretchedat the end of a time period. Time is a container. Two weeks is a box you must pass through first.
- Hand in your homework by Friday.picture, stretchedgive work to someone in charge. The work goes into the teacher's collection, like into a box.
- He finally gave in and said yes.picture, stretchedstop fighting and accept. Like a wall pushed inward. You stop holding the edge against pressure.
- Long skirts are in this year.idiomfashionable, popular right now. Being 'in' the group of accepted things. The link is weak.
Not the same as “into”
Are you describing a position (in) or the movement from outside to inside (into)? 'In the box' versus 'jump into the box'.
Root
Old English 'in', from Proto-Germanic *in, from Proto-Indo-European *en, meaning 'in, inside'. It is related to Latin 'in' and Greek 'en'. The meaning has stayed almost the same for thousands of years.