mother-in-law | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

also inflight, "during or within a flight," 1945, from in (prep.) + flight.

1740, Latin, literally "in its (original) place or position," from ablative of situs "site" (see site (n.)).

also instore, 1954, from in (prep.) + store (n.). In Middle English, instore was a verb meaning "to restore, renew," from Latin instaurare.

shoo-in (n.)

"easy winner" (especially in politics), 1939, from earlier sense "horse that wins a race by pre-arrangement" (1928); the verb phrase shoo in in this sense is from 1908; from shoo (v.) + in (adv.).

trade-in (n.)

1917, in reference to used cars, from verbal phrase, from trade (v.) + in (adv.).

in-patient (n.)

also inpatient, "person lodged and fed, as well as treated, at a hospital or infirmary," 1760, from in (adj.) + patient (n.). As an adjective by 1890.

in-itselfness (n.)

1879, in philosophy; see in (adv.) + itself + -ness.

in toto (adv.)

Latin, "as a whole, wholly, completely, utterly, entirely," from toto, ablative of totus "whole, entire" (see total (adj.)); "always or nearly always with verbs of negative sense" [Fowler].

plug-in (adj.)

"designed to be plugged into a socket," 1922, from the verbal phrase, from plug (v.) + in (adv.).

sign-in (n.)

1968, from the verbal phrase; see sign (v.) + in (adv.).

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