the first part of a process that will finish something.

Several brilliant plays marked the beginning of the end for the challengers.

• in the interim
• in their infinite wisdom
• in their wisdom
• in the know
• in the lap of luxury
• in the light of
• in the light of something
• in the line of duty
• in the line of fire
• in the long haul
• in the long run
• in the long term
• in the loop
• in the main
• in the making
• in the market for
• in the market for something
• in the meantime
• in the meanwhile
• in the medium term
• in the middle of
• in the middle of doing something
• in the middle of nowhere
• in the middle of something
• in the midst of