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

in act to do something • in the act of doing
 something
in act to do something —on the point of doing smth.: Nero
persuaded himself that his mother was watching him like a
tiger-cat in act to spring.
in the act of doing something —in the process of doing smth.:
The thief was caught in the act of breaking into the house.
in action • out of action
in action —
1
. engaged in an activity, especially as a particular
or good example: It is not hard to understand why the team
is so talented when you see the team in action. 2. in military
combat: Charles Havlat is thought to be the very last American
soldier killed in action in the European operations of World
War II.
out of action —
1
. (of a machine or vehicle) not working or
functioning properly: We were aware that the hotel was under
renovation, however for two days the elevator was out of
action. 2. (of a sportsman) unable to participate in a compe-
tition, etc. because of an injury: He had surgery on both of
his knees and therefore was out of action for several weeks.
in an excess of something • in excess of something
in an excess of something —
1
. when smth. is present beyond
the limits of what is normal: This can be made by burning
sulphur in an excess of air. 2. through too much emotion: My
own copy has long been gone, pocketed by an acquaintance
whom I pressed it on in an excess of generosity.
in excess of something —to a greater amount than smth. else:
“Armorplate” has acquired a degree of strength far in excess
of that with which the original plate glass was endowed.
in an instant • on the instant
in an instant—in a moment: Our ship was in an instant full
of these swarthy gentlemen quite naked.
on the instant—at once; immediately: When you shut the
doors of this grotto, it becomes on the instant, from a lumi-
nous room, a camera obscura.