ICE
— ice1 (sl.): diamond(s) >They got some nice ice in that jewelry store.
— ice2 (sl.): smokable crystal methamphetamine >He was really high on some ice he smoked.
— ice3 (vt) (colloq.): have assured of obtaining or winning >The team will ice the championship with this win.
— ice4 (vt) (sl.): murder, kill >The mob had him iced ‘cause he knew too much.
— break the ice (see BREAK)
— cut no ice (with) (see CUT)
— on ice (colloq.): assured, sure to be obtained or won >I talked to the manager today, and we got the contract on ice.
ICEBERG
— iceberg (colloq.): cold or insensitive person >Talk about being unfeeling! He’s a regular iceberg.
ICING
* icing/frosting on the cake (colloq.): unexpected and desirable extra >My new job’s a whole lot better than the old one, and the icing on the cake is that I can earn more overtime.
ICKY
— icky (ik´ē) (colloq.): repulsive, offensive, distasteful >I told him to get his icky hands off me. >I’m not going to eat this icky junk.
I.D.
** I.D.1 (colloq.): identification, identification card or tag >Do you have any I.D. with you? >I hate my picture on my I.D.
— I.D.2 (vt) (colloq.): identify >They I.D.ed the robber right away.
IDEA
— what’s the big idea? (see WHAT’S)
IDIOT
— like an idiot (colloq.): vigorously, to the utmost degree >I sweat like an idiot on muggy days. >We worked like idiots planning the banquet.
IDIOT BOX
— idiot box (sl.): television (esp. when seen as contemptible) >The kid sits glued to that damn idiot box all evening!
IDIOT LIGHT
— idiot light (sl.): automobile dashboard indicator light (in contrast to more precise gauges) >Damn idiot light! I know the car isn’t overheatin’.
IFFY
* iffy (if´ē) (colloq.): doubtful, having unresolved aspects >The forecast for rain makes tomorrow’s picnic pretty iffy.
IFS
* no ifs, ands, or buts (about it) (... ifs andz ... buts ...) (colloq.): no excuses or exceptions will be accepted >I want this finished by tomorrow—no ifs, ands, or buts about it!
I'LL
* (well,) I’ll be (a monkey’s uncle)! (see BE)
ILLEGAL
** illegal (colloq., freq. pej.): undocumented immigrant, illegal alien >They tell me a lot of illegals live in that neighborhood.
IMAGE
— spit and image (see “SPITTING IMAGE”)
IN
** in (colloq.): fashionable, in vogue, currently popular >Short skirts were in that year. >It’s the in place to have lunch.
* have an in (with) (colloq.): have an advantageous relationship or connection (with), have influence (with) >She’s got an in with the governor because she knows his chief of staff. >Forget about joining that club unless you have an in.
* have it in for (colloq.): wish to harm, seek revenge on >He’s had it in for me ever since I told on him.
— in (a/the/[s/one’s]) ... (see entry under ... noun)
— in deep (see DEEP)
— in deep shit (see DEEP)
— in for it (colloq.): bound to receive punishment, going to suffer bad consequences >Huey’s in for it when Dad gets home, because he broke his new drill.
— in no time (flat) (see TIME)
— in nothing flat (see NOTHING)
— in one piece (see PIECE)
* in with (colloq.): having an advantageous relationship or connection with, having influence with >Lloyd’s a good man to know—he’s in with all the big shots in county government.
INCH
— . . . within an inch of [s/one’s] life (colloq.): . . . [s/one] almost to death >The muggers beat him within an inch of his life. >The explosion scared me within an inch of my life.
INDIAN GIVER
— Indian giver (colloq., freq. pej.): person who takes back (s/thing) after giving (it) >Hey, you said I could keep those sunglasses, so don’t be an Indian giver.
INFO
** info (in´fō) (colloq.): information >I’ll send you all the info on the conference in the mail.
IN-GROUP
* in-group (colloq.): small and exclusive group, clique, most socially desirable group to belong to (also adj.) >She wants to be part of the in-group, but they ignore her. >I didn’t get it—must be some kind of in-group humor.
INJUN
— Injun (in´jәn) (colloq., pej.): Native American, American Indian (also adj.) >He said his grandpa fought the Injuns. >He calls it Injun jewelry.
— honest Injun! (see HONEST)
INK
— ink1 (sl.): tattoo(s) >He walked outta the tattoo parlor with some new ink.
— ink2 (sl.): publicity, news coverage (in printed format) >That scandal got a lot of ink in the tabloids.
INNARDS
— innards (in´әrdz) (colloq.): internal body parts, inner parts (esp. of a machine) >The doc checked all his innards during the operation. >Let’s oil the clock’s innards and see if it runs better.
INNIE
— innie (in´ē) (colloq.): nonprotruding or concave navel (cf. “OUTIE”) >Let’s see your bellybutton. Is it an innie or an outie?
INS
* ins and outs (inz ... outs) (colloq.): intracacies, pertinent details, relevant particulars >Let’s ask Quincy. He knows the ins and outs of the current regulations.
INSIDE
— inside of (colloq.): within (a period of time) >I bet Grayson gives up inside of ten minutes.
** know [s/thing] inside out (colloq.): know [s/thing] thoroughly, have [s/thing] mastered >He knows mainframe computers inside out.
INSIDE JOB
* inside job (colloq.): crime committed by or with the help of s/one working for the victim >It had to be an inside job because they knew right where to look for the jewels.
INSIDES
* insides (in´sīdz´) (colloq.): internal body parts (esp. the stomach), inner parts (esp. of a machine) >This soup warms my insides. >You ever seen the insides of a radio transmitter?
INSIDE TRACK
— the inside track (colloq.): the most advantageous position, the favored situation (in a competition) >Gail’s got the inside track for the job because they already know her and like her work.
INTEL
— intel (in´tel) (colloq.): intelligence information >The latest intel shows a big military build-up on the eastern front.
INTERFERENCE
— run interference (for) (colloq.): deal with troublesome matters (for) (to facilitate s/one’s work or progress) >We need someone to run interference for us in Washington so we can get this deal approved fast.
INTO
** into (colloq.): very interested in or involved with >Ray’s been into dinosaurs ever since he was a little kid. >I feel sorry for you jerks who are into drugs.
— into [s/one] for (sl.): in debt to [s/one] for (an amount of money) >He’s into me for over a hundred bucks and he’d better pay up by next week.
— just not be that into [s/one] (sl.): have no special feeling for, not care much for >Brad’s been tryin’ to get Meg to go out with him, but she’s just not that into him.
INTRO
* intro (in´trō) (colloq.): introduction >How was the intro to philosophy class? >They gave the speaker a nice intro.
INVITE
— invite (in´vīt) (colloq.): invitation >Hey, we got an invite to a dinner party.
IN-YOUR-FACE
— in-your-face (sl.): defiantly self-assured, insolently provocative (cf. “in your FACE!”) >His in-your-face, confrontational style turns a lot of people off.
I.O.U.
** I.O.U. (= “I owe you”) (colloq.): written promise to pay a debt >Grady owes me fifty bucks—here’s his I.O.U.
IRON
* iron out (vt) (colloq.): resolve or reach agreement on (problems or differences) (esp. through discussion or compromise) >We ought to be able to sit down and iron out these details in no time.
— pump iron (see PUMP)
IT
— out of it (see OUT)
ITCHING
— itching for/to (colloq.): restlessly desirous of/to, badly wanting (to) >After the argument with his wife, Les came into the bar itching for a fight. >What a workaholic! He’s itching to get back to his desk.
ITCHY
— itchy (colloq.): restless, eager (to begin s/thing) >I’m itchy to get started on that job.
ITEM
* be an item (sl.): be romantically or sexually involved (with one another) (esp. when worthy of gossip) >Ever since Jane and Alex met at my party, they’ve been quite an item.
ITSY-BITSY
— itsy-bitsy (it´sē bit´sē) (colloq.): very small, tiny >Give me just an itsy-bitsy serving—I’m on a diet.
ITTY-BITTY
— itty-bitty (it´ē bit´ē) (colloq.): very small, tiny >The guy was holding this itty-bitty Chihuahua dog in his hand.
IVORIES
— ivories (sl.): piano keyboard >Man, can he ever play those ivories!
IXNAY
— ixnay (on) (iks´nā´ …) (sl.) no (to), I don’t accept or approve (of) (cf. “NIX”) >Me, loan that bum money? Ixnay! >Ixnay on that dumb idea.