log in

Formslogs in, logging in, logged in

1. 1
   phrasal verbtransitive or intransitive

   To gain access to a computer system, usually by entering a username and password registered earlier.

   Employees must log in with their ID number before using the terminals.

   The banking app logs customers in with a fingerprint instead of a password.

   Note

   Computing borrowed the shape of clock in, the worker's check at the time clock, and the earliest known use comes from 1963, in Compatible Time-Sharing System from the MIT Computation Center. The verb is written as two words, often followed by to (log in to the server); log into is a common alternative, and log out or log off undoes it.

2. 2
   noun · log-in

   Alternative spelling of login.

   Each employee gets a separate log-in for the payroll system.

   The site records every log-in, so you can see when your account was last used.

   Note

   The hyphen marks the noun: the verb is two open words, log in, while the noun is written log-in or, more often, login. Either spelling can mean the act of signing in or the username and password used to do it, and the plural is log-ins.

3. 3
   phrasal verbintransitive

   To be placed at a particular position in a ranking.

   Their debut single logged in at number 45 on the country chart.

   Analysts expect the film to log in at fifth place on this year's list of top earners.

   Similarchart, rank

   Note

   Chart writing uses the verb with at and a position: a cover version logs in at number 80, a film at fifth place. No object follows, because the at phrase carries the ranking. It is a livelier alternative to entered at or debuted at, and it belongs to reporting on charts and lists.

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