A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

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.