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inside

[preposition in-sahyd, in-sahyd; adverb in-sahyd; noun in-sahyd; adjective in-sahyd, in-, in-sahyd]
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preposition
  1. on the inner side or part of; within: inside the circle; inside the envelope.
  2. prior to the elapse of; within: He promised to arrive inside an hour.
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adverb
  1. in or into the inner part: Please go inside.
  2. indoors: They play inside on rainy days.
  3. within one's heart, reason, etc.; by true nature; basically: I know inside that he's not guilty. Inside, she's really very shy.
  4. Slang. in prison.
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noun
  1. the inner or internal part; interior: the inside of the house.
  2. the inner side or surface: the inside of the hand; He pinned the money to the inside of his jacket.
  3. Usually insides. Informal. the inner parts of the body, especially the stomach and intestines: The coffee scalded my insides.
  4. a select or inner circle of power, prestige, etc.: a man on the inside.
  5. the shortest of several parallel, curving tracks or lanes; the part of an oval track closest to the inner rail: The horse came up fast on the inside.
  6. the inward nature, mind, feelings, etc.
  7. Slang. confidential or secret information.
  8. an inside passenger or place in a coach, carriage, etc.
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adjective
  1. situated or being on or in the inside; interior; internal: an inside seat.
  2. acting, employed, done, or originating within a building or place: He used to work on the dock but now he has an inside job.
  3. derived from the inner circle of those concerned in and having private knowledge of a situation: inside information.
  4. Baseball. (of a pitched ball) passing between home plate and the batter: The pitch was low and inside.
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Idioms
  1. inside of, Informal. within the space or period of: Our car broke down again inside of a mile.
  2. inside out,
    1. with the inner side reversed to face the outside.
    2. thoroughly; completely: She knew the work inside out.
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Origin of inside

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at in, side1

Synonyms

See more synonyms for inside on Thesaurus.com
7. Inside, interior both refer to the inner part or space within something. Inside is a common word, and is used with reference to things of any size, small or large: the inside of a pocket. Interior, somewhat more formal, denotes the inner part or the space or regions within; it usually suggests considerable size or extent, and sometimes a richness of decoration: the interior of a country, of the earth, of a cathedral.

Antonyms

7. outside, exterior.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for inside of

inside

noun (ˈɪnˈsaɪd)
  1. the interior; inner or enclosed part or surface
  2. the side of a path away from the road or adjacent to a wall
  3. (also plural) informal the internal organs of the body, esp the stomach and bowels
  4. inside of in a period of time less than; within
  5. inside out with the inside facing outwards
  6. know something inside out to know something thoroughly or perfectly
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preposition (ˌɪnˈsaɪd)
  1. in or to the interior of; within or to within; on the inside of
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adjective (ˈɪnˌsaɪd)
  1. on or of an interior; on the insidean inside door
  2. (prenominal) arranged or provided by someone within an organization or building, esp illicitlythe raid was an inside job; inside information
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adverb (ˌɪnˈsaɪd)
  1. within or to within a thing or place; indoors
  2. by nature; fundamentallyinside, he's a good chap
  3. slang in or into prison
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xref

See outside
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for inside of

inside

n.

late 14c., ynneside "interior of the body," compound of in (adv.) + side (n.). The adjective is 1610s, from the noun. Inside job "robbery, espionage, etc., committed by or with the help of a resident or servant of a place" is attested by 1887, American English (also, late 19c., early 20c., "indoors work"). Inside track "advantage" is metaphoric because those lanes are shorter on a curved track. Inside of, in reference to time, is from 1839.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with inside of

inside of

Within, in less than the whole of, referring especially to a period of time. For example, They promised to return it inside of a month. Although some authorities believe inside alone conveys the same meaning, the full term is widely used. [Early 1800s]

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inside

In addition to the idioms beginning with inside

  • inside of
  • inside out
  • inside track, the

also see:

  • on the inside
  • step in (inside)
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.