inside
- 01 A1 Beginner
prep.in or into a room, building, or container.
prep.within the interior of a defined physical space or container.
Simple“The keys are inside the small blue box on the shelf.”
In context“The documents were discovered inside a locked safe that had remained undisturbed in the basement for decades.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
prep.happening before a certain amount of time has passed.
prep.within the duration of a specified period of time.
Simple“The technician promised to fix the computer inside an hour.”
In context“The legal team managed to file the appeal inside the three-day window permitted by the court.”
Synonymswithinin less than - 03 A2 Elementary
adv.in or into a building.
adv.within or towards the interior of a building or enclosed structure.
Simple“It started to rain, so the children ran inside to play.”
In context“Although the garden was beautiful, the humidity forced the guests to move the party inside where there was air conditioning.”
- 04 A2 Elementary
n.the inner part or side of something.
n.the internal part, surface, or space of an object or structure.
Simple“The inside of the house was painted a bright white.”
In context“The architect focused on the inside of the cathedral, ensuring the vaulted ceilings would amplify the choir's voices.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
n.special information that only people involved in a situation know.
n.privileged or confidential information known only to those within a specific group or organisation.
Simple“He gave me the inside on why the manager really quit.”
In context“Journalists were desperate to get the inside on the merger before the official press release was issued tomorrow morning.”
Synonymsscooplowdown - 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.relating to the inner part of something, or coming from within a group.
adj.pertaining to the interior; also used to describe a person or information originating from within an organisation.
Simple“The police suspect it was an inside job because the alarm was turned off.”
In context“The company conducted an inside audit to identify inefficiencies before hiring external consultants for a broader review.”
Usage inside cells · inside the body · inside the vehicle
From Middle English ynneside; equivalent to in- + side. Compare German Innenseite (“inside”), Danish inderside (“inside”), Swedish insida (“inside”), Dutch binnenzijde (“inside”), German Low German Binnensied, Binnersied (“inside”), Saterland Frisian Binnersiede (“inside”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.