effect in confirming a character naturally impatient of con- trol. impatient with something —easily provoked or irritated when dealing with smth.: This book is for you if you get impatient with heavy, conventional and lengthy textbooks. Note: Neither expression correlates in meaning with the phrase impatient for something—eager for smth. to happen; eager to do or obtain smth.: Koizumi himself acknowledged after polls closed that people were impatient for change. impose on someone • impose oneself on someone impose on someone—obtain a favor from a person, especially by using persuasion or undue pressure: Could I impose on you for a little help with this translation? impose oneself on someone—inconvenience smb. by one’s presence: As there was no train, he was forced to impose him - self on his hosts for longer than he had intended. improve in something • improve on something improve in something—become better with regard to some standard or quality: The boy seems to have improved in his behavior since he had that last warning. improve on something—produce smth. of a better standard or quality than before: She improved on her previous per- formance by swimming the distance in less than a minute. in a bad way • in the worst way in a bad way—1. in trouble; having serious problems: The basic exporting industries of Great Britain — coal, metallurgy and textiles—have been in a bad way . 2. (of health) in a bad or critical state: But one of the poor men who were hurt at the fire is dead, and another is, I fear, in a bad way . 3. (coll.) desire smth. greatly: It’s Friday morning and I’m wanting in a bad way to stand hip deep in the chilly current of a fast moving river. 4. fail or be defeated miserably: He has found himself dragged down by the Party and defeated in a bad way in a General Election. in the worst way —1. = in a bad way 3: I then wanted in the worst way to build a sail boat and sail around the world. 2. = in a bad way 4: To try a major novel about the last war in Europe without a sense of the past is to fail in the worst way . in a big way • in a great way in a big way —(coll.) 1. on a large scale: The company should be frugal, they say, but when it does invest it should do so in a big way . 2. with great eagerness or enthusiasm: Derek is crazy to take up dancing in a big way again. He adores all this old-time dancing. in a great way—1. (UK dated) living on a grand scale: She was very well married, to a gentleman in a great way , near Bristol, who kept two carriages! 2. (coll.) extremely well: Most of us will never do great things, but we can all do small things in a great way . in a bit • in bits in a bit—1. (coll.) after a short time: There is a reason for this, and I hope to talk about it in a bit . But first I’d like to put some background in place. 2. (UK sl., sarcastic) it’s never going to happen: “Will you lend me twenty quid?” “Oh yeah, in a bit !” in bits —(UK sl.) mentally confused or emotionally affected (also: in bits and pieces): I have had a total nightmare with this company and am in bits over the possibility of loosing £1,000. in a corner • in the corner in a corner —1. situated or positioned in a corner: Sitting in a corner of the room, Trevor watched his friends and team- mates celebrate. 2. (also: in a tight corner) in a difficult situa- tion: The government is in a corner and cannot win except to keep taxes reduced. in the corner — = in a corner 1: A ghost was spotted standing in the corner of the cellar whilst the groups of visitors were upstairs. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase at the corner1. (also: on the corner) at a street cor- ner: He was hailed by a gentleman standing at the corner by the Scotch Church. He immediately drove up…. 2. = in the corner: All you need to do to create printed version is turn on your printer and click on the printer icon at the corner of the screen. in a dream world • in one’s dream in a dream world —having one’s mind far away from reality; entertaining unrealistic ideas: There are people who live in a dream world , and there are some who face reality. in one’s dream—1. said of images passing through the mind during sleep: He took a piece of native copal wood and carved the animals that he saw in his dream . 2. = in a dream world: At times the person lives in his dream of “things as they might be” rather than realizing things as they are. 3. in one’s imag- ination: Although his new company was only himself and one lawn mower, in his dream he could already see a major land management company. in a dump • in the dumps in a dump—(sl., in the phrase “live in a dump”) live in a poor, dirty or ugly place: “How can you live in a dump like this?” he asked her. “Don’t you ever clean this place?” in the dumps —(coll., also: down in the dumps) 1. in low spir- its; very depressed: One of my still single girlfriends was in the dumps about not having a boyfriend. 2. (of a market, econ- omy, etc.) deteriorate or decline: He told Goldman that he knew his career was in the dumps and offered him a position. in a family way • in the family way in a family way—1. without ceremony: Why don’t we ask him to come over in a family way and dine with us. 2. (euph.) pregnant: I have heard that Mrs. Smith is in a family way once again. in the family way— = in a family way 2: A woman should postpone the observation of fasts when she is in the family way . in a fashion • in the fashion in a fashion —1. (also: after a fashion) to a certain extent but not very satisfactorily: I kept puffing at it [trombone] until I could play, in a fashion , the little Jim Robinson solo. 2. in the way specified: Nor did he fail to condemn wrong doing in a fashion which Scotch folk call teethy. in the fashion— = in a fashion 2: Mrs. Rauscher mistook the meaning of the question and responded in the fashion she did to her own embarrassment. Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase in fashion—popular; fashionable: This writer was in fashion at the beginning of the century. in a few well-chosen words • in a few words in a few well-chosen words—said of a short and effective utterance: He managed to say in a few well-chosen words what others might not convey in a half-hour speech. in a few words —1. said of smth. stated very briefly: In a few words Captain Schley gave me an inkling of his plans. 2. in short; by way of summary: In a few words , they believe that individual freedom is the fundamental value that must under- lie all social relations. See also: not in so many words / without many words. in a fog • in fog in a fog —1. when there is thick mist or fog: This neon light impose on someone – 184 –