What is the difference between “in-between” and “between”?

Question

Do in-between and between have different meanings?
What is the difference between in-between and between?

Robusto · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-13 01:06:21Z

up vote 5 down vote accepted

Well, between all by itself acts as a preposition, but in between functions as an adverb.

preposition: I found myself caught between a rock and a hard place.

adverb: There was a rock and a hard place, and there I was lying in between.

answered Feb 13 '11 at 1:06

Robusto
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	In the second example, in seems associated to the verb, rather than to between, as in the solution lies in a return to "traditional family values". – kiamlaluno Feb 13 '11 at 9:49
	@kiamlaluno: "in between" taken together is an adverb because it modifies the verb; your usage of "...lies in a return" uses in as a preposition. – Robusto Feb 13 '11 at 11:48
	I suspect most casual uses of in between are wrong: "We were in between a rock and a hard place." – David May 27 '11 at 2:33

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