719
insinuate
in·sec·tiv·o·rous /ˌɪnsekˈtɪvərəs/ adj eating insects as food:
Many birds are insectivorous. → see also CARNIVORE, HERBIV-
ORE, OMNIVOROUS
in·se·cure /ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊəʳ/ adj 1 not safe; which cannot give
support or is not properly supported; likely to fall: an
insecure wall | I feel very insecure up this ladder. 2 not giving
one a feeling of safety; likely to be lost: an insecure job/
investment 3 anxious and unsure of oneself; not confident:
He's very insecure - that's why he is always bad-tempered.
—ly adv —curity n [U] His confident manner is really just a
way of hiding his (feelings of) insecurity.
in·sem·i·nate /ɪnˈsemɪneɪt/ v [T] to put male seed into (a
female), by the sexual act or by an artificial process: Cows
are usually inseminated artificially nowadays. → see also
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION —nation /ɪnˌsemɪˈneɪʃən/ n [U]
in·sen·sate /ɪnˈsenseɪt/ adj fml 1 without the power to have
feelings; INANIMATE 2 unreasoning; wild: insensate rage
in·sen·si·bil·i·ty /ɪnˌsensəˈbɪləti/ n fml 1 [U] unconscious-
ness 2 [S;U(ǀ)] old use inability to have deep feelings, such as
love, sympathy, anger etc
in·sen·si·ble /ɪnˈsensəbl/ adj fml 1 unconscious → com-
pare SENSELESS 2 [F(oﬂ)] lacking knowledge; UNAWARE: insen-
sible of his danger 3 [F(to)] unable to have feelings,
especially to feel pain: insensible to pain/to the cold → see
also INSENSITIVE 4 too small to be noticed: an insensible
change —bly adv
in·sen·si·tive /ɪnˈsensɪtɪv/ adj [(to)] 1 (of a person or their
behaviour) not kind to others because one does not think
about how they feel; lacking thoughtfulness and sympathy:
How can you be so insensitive as to laugh at someone in pain? |
an insensitive remark | It was very insensitive of you to tell her
about your promotion when she's been unemployed since last
year. 2 not listening to or acting upon (a request, demand
etc): Why is the union leadership so insensitive to the feelings
of its members? 3 not showing or feeling the effect of (a
force or the presence of something): This paper is insensitive
to light. | insensitive to pain —ly adv —tivity
/ɪnˌsensɪˈtɪvəti/ n [S;U]
in·sep·a·ra·ble /ɪnˈsepərəbl/ adj [(from)] impossible to
separate from something else or from one another; always
together: The three boys are inseparable. | The issue of
human rights is inseparable from our struggle for democracy.
—bly adv —bility /ɪnˌsepərəˈbɪləti/ n [U]
in·sert¹ /ɪnˈsɜːt∥-ɜːrt/ v [T(in, into)] to put or place something
in (something else): to insert a key in a lock | to insert an
amendment into the contract
in·sert² /ˈɪnsɜːt∥-ɜːrt/ n something that is or can be inserted,
especially written or printed material put in between the
pages of a book
in·ser·tion /ɪnˈsɜːʃn∥-ɜːr-/ n 1 [U] the act of inserting: The
insertion of the needle under the skin made him wince. 2 [C]
something inserted, especially an advertisement or
ANNOUNCEMENT in a newspaper
'in-service adj [A no comp.] (taking place) during one's work-
ing time: In this job you receive in-service training.
in·set¹ /ˈɪnset/ n something put as an addition into some-
thing else, especially a small picture or map set in one
corner of a larger one
in·set² /ɪnˈset/ v -tt-; past tense & participle inset or insetted [T(in,
into)] to put (something) in as an inset
INSET /ˈɪnset/ n abbrev. for in-service education training; in
the UK, training for teachers which takes place during the
school year: an INSET day
in·shore /ˌɪnˈʃːʳ/ adv near, towards, or to the shore: He
rowed further inshore. → compare OFFSHORE —inshore adj
[A no comp.] inshore fishing
in·side¹ /ɪnˈsaɪd, ˈɪnsaɪd/ n 1 [(the)S] the inner part of a solid
object; the part that is nearest to the centre, or that faces
away from the open air: We painted the inside of the house. |
The inside of an orange is full of juice. | This lock can only be
opened from the inside. → opposite OUTSIDE 2 [(the) S] the side
of a road or path nearest to the edge or to the buildings
along it: That car tried to pass me on the inside. → opposite
OUTSIDE 3 [the] infml a position in which one is able to know
special or secret information: He could only have been told
about it by someone on the inside. 4 [C] also insides pl. —
infml one's stomach: a pain in my insides 5 inside out a)
with the usual inside parts on the outside: He put his socks
on inside out. | She turned her drawers inside out (=searched
them very thoroughly, probably throwing things onto the
floor) looking for her passport. b) infml with complete knowl-
edge; very thoroughly: She knows the subject inside out.
in·side² /ˈɪnsad/ adj [A] 1 facing or at the inside: the inside
pages of a newspaper | driving slowly in the inside lane →
opposite OUTSIDE 2 from or about those most directly or
secretly concerned: an inside joke | As I had some inside
information I was able to buy at exactly the right time. | The
papers are trying to get the inside story (=what really but
secretly happened) on the royal divorce. → see also INSIDE
JOB
in·side³ /ɪnˈsaɪd/ adv 1 to or in the inside: The children are
playing inside (=indoors) because it's raining. | I opened the
box and looked inside. | (fig.) I tried to appear calm, but I felt
pretty scared inside. (=in my mind) → opposite OUT-
SIDE 2 BrE downstairs in a bus with two floors 3 slang,
especially BrE in prison: inside for murder 4 inside of a)
INSIDE b) AmE for INSIDE
inside⁴ prep 1 to or on the inside of; within: inside the
car/the house/my mouth → opposite OUTSIDE 2 infml in less
time than: I'll be back inside an hour.
Compare inside and within. 1 Both words can
express the idea of being surrounded by something, but
inside is more usual in this sense. Within is more formal
and mostly used of large areas: inside the box | within
the castle. 2 Both words can mean 'in no greater
time/distance than' but within is more usual in this sense:
within a mile of the house | within three weeks.
'inside job n infml a robbery done by someone connected
with the place, organization etc which has been robbed
in·sid·er /ɪnˈsaɪdəʳ/ n someone who is recognized or
accepted as a member of a group, especially someone who
has special information or influence → compare OUTSIDER
in,sider 'trading also in,sider 'dealing n [U] the illegal
practice of buying and selling business shares by people
(such as company directors) who take advantage of their
special knowledge of the plans and business affairs of the
companies for which they work
,inside 'track, the n 1 (in racing) the track nearest the
inside, which is shorter 2 AmE an advantageous position in a
competition: the inside track to success in business
in·sid·i·ous /ɪnˈsɪdiəs/ adj acting gradually and without
being noticed, but causing serious harm; secretly harmful:
the insidious spreading of dry rot | the insidious trend
towards a police state —ly adv —ness n [U]
in·sight /ˈnsaɪt/ n [(into)] 1 [U] apprec the power of using
one's mind to see or understand the true nature of a
situation: a woman of great insight 2 [C] a sudden, clear,
but not always complete understanding: Her autobiography
gave me an insight into the way government actually works.
in·sight·ful /ˈɪnsatfəl/ adj able to understand or showing
that you understand what a situation or person is really like:
an insightful analysis → compare PERCEPTIVE
in·sig·ni·a /ɪnˈsɪgniə/ n [P] BADGES or objects which repre-
sent the power of an official or important person: the royal
insignia of crown and sceptre | Naval officers have stripes on
their sleeves as insignia of their rank.
in·sig·nif·i·cant /ˌɪnsɪgˈnɪfɪkənt/ adj of no value and/or
importance: It was a mere detail which seemed insignificant
at the time but later proved to be crucial. | an insignificant
little man —ly adv —cance n [U]
in·sin·cere /ˌɪnsɪnˈsɪəʳ/ adj not sincere; pretended or false:
insincere flattery | an insincere smile —ly adv —cerity
/ˌɪnsɪnˈserəti/ n [U]
in·sin·u·ate /ɪnˈsɪnjueɪt/ v [T] to suggest (something
unpleasant) indirectly by one's behaviour or remarks: What
are you insinuating? | [+(that)] Are you insinuating that I'm not
telling the truth? | I think he's insinuating that the witness has
been bribed, Your Honour.
insinuate sbdy. into sthg. phr v [T] fml or humor to cause
(especially oneself) to become part of (something), espe-
cially by unpleasantly indirect methods; gain acceptance