Definition
English idiom – “the ins and outs” 🧩
This idiomatic expression functions as a plural noun and refers to all the details or something or all the details of how something works.
For example – After a few months in the job, I now know all the ins and outs.
Clip 1
Merry Switchmas (2021)
In this scene, Howard wants his daughter Danielle to take over the family barbecue business. However, Danielle has her own ambitions and isn’t particularly interested in running the restaurant, which creates tension within the family. Howard says that he wants to show her the “ins and outs” of the business.
Howard uses this phrase to convey that he wants to teach Danielle every single aspect of how the business is run so she can eventually take over in the future.
Clip 2
Couple’s Retreat – (2009)
During a team challenge at the retreat, Jason criticises Shane’s girlfriend Trudy and questions the legitimacy of their relationship since they have only been together for two weeks and Shane is recently divorced. Feeling defensive, Shane snaps back with: “You don’t know the ins and outs of our relationship!”
Shane says this phrase to Jason to tell him that he doesn’t fully understand his relationship with Trudy despite their age-gap and differences in personality.
Clip 3
The Umbrella Academy – Season 1, Episode 7 (2019)
In this scene, the character Number 5 wants to use his superpower to teleport into a police station to get a file on a villain named Jenkins, who they believe is involved in trying to cause an apocalypse. The character Diego stops him and says, “You don’t know the ins and outs of the place.”
Diego believes it is too dangerous for Number 5 to try to teleport into the station since he doesn’t know the exact layout of the building so it could be too risky. This is why he uses the phrase “You don’t know the ins and outs of the place.”
Clip 4
Let’s Be Cops – (2014)
In this scene, the character Ryan is at a school reunion party and runs into some former classmates. Ryan was a promising high school football player when he was younger but he didn’t make it as a professional. His classmates tell him they were surprised he didn’t become professional and then ask him what he does for work now. Ryan is embarrassed to tell them about his low-paying salesman job so he only mentions that he teaches football to kids.
Ryan uses the phrase “the ins and outs of the game” to convey that he is passing on his complete knowledge and experience of the sport onto the younger generation.