Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: pick up the pieces (used idiomatically: yes)
Which was very ridiculous because it was ignored . ‘ But Maria Luisa and I live together,’ he volunteered , and Ruth wondered why he 'd admitted to it . It would be nice to think their affair had meant something to him , and after Seville he was picking up the pieces of his life and had found happiness with another woman . It would be even nicer to think he was trying to make her jealous because he still cared for her and not for pure spite , and it would be nice if she sobered up and faced life 's harsh realities ! Fernando Serra had n't and did n't care a hairy monkey for her !
Idiom: cold comfort (used idiomatically: yes)
From 1985–90 , the Torbay line 's average annual passenger journeys figure was 281,000 and the Buckfastleigh line 123,000 . The Torbay line has always been run as a large - scale people mover and minimalist operation since the DVR took over the line in 1973 , but this stance failed to deliver the desired profitable results in 1991 . After last year 's shock announcement of the DVR Company 's near total withdrawal from the seven - mile Buckfastleigh line and rescue handover to volunteers of the South Devon Railway Trust , these figures will be cold comfort to many local steam supporters and shareholders of the Dart Valley Railway despite claims by the Company that all is well . By way of contrast , official 1991 accounts from the South Devon Railway Trust are expected any day , and will show that the largely volunteer run operation at Buckfastleigh has managed a healthy tax - free surplus of around £ 60,000 ! That 's the same as the DVR Company achieved in the same period .
Idiom: in the works (used idiomatically: yes)
The good team spirit in the work group is valued positively .
Idiom: whistle in the dark (used idiomatically: yes)
Without the emergence of Hitler and his National Socialists all that was rotten in Germany , that had been positively fostered by Romanticism and encouraged by the humiliation that Germany had suffered under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles — racism , social Darwinism , anti - intellectualism , phoney mysticism — might have persisted indefinitely and gradually eaten away the fabric of the country and its culture , gone unchallenged by the forces of reason , lain for all time under layers of sophistry . … They should have been more vigilant ; a summing - up is no substitute for reasoning and judging . Horst and Jurgen had been whistling in the dark . Anna and Charlotte had been arrogant . They had never been observant Jews ; they had been steeped in German , not Jewish , culture and identified with it .
Idiom: hold someone's hand (used idiomatically: yes)
Slice the top off , scoop out the seeds , and a drop of Oporto is what she 'd said . The doctors gathered round her bed . They measured Dot 's legs with wooden measuring sticks , and they prodded her ribs while a nurse stood by and held her hand . They did n't usually speak to her , only about her . They told Gloria , ‘ This child is malnourished .
Idiom: go it alone (used idiomatically: yes)
LOS ~ ANGELES – Revelations in former President George ~ W .~ Bush 's recently published memoirs show that he declined an Israeli request to destroy Syria 's secret nuclear reactor in the spring of 2007 . While the revelation may appear merely to be a historical footnote , more profoundly it raises new uncertainty about whether Israel now thinks that it can rely on the United ~ States to apply military force to stop Iran 's nuclear program should diplomacy fail . The Syrian episode suggests that it can not , which means that Israel may decide to go it alone once again , this time to eliminate Iran 's nuclear facilities . If Israel did so , however , it would confront a conundrum . Unlike the attack on Syria 's nuclear plant , Israel 's conventional forces do not have the capacity to destroy Iran 's suspect installations .
Idiom: home and dry (used idiomatically: yes)
These were the opposite ends of the British special - train scene of the 1980s , on either side of a conscious divide where the key words were price and profit . Six days of luxury on the Royal Scotsman ( which included some steam haulage and as many glasses of Domaine des Berthiers as the liver would stand ) at the end of the decade meant writing a cheque for £ 2,880 . For the afternoon round trip from Crewe via Chester and Shrewsbury on the steam - hauled Cheshire Cheese ( buy your own coffee ) , fifteen pounds was seeing you home and dry . The illustration shows how the special - train business developed in these ten years . In 1980 , luxury trains like the Royal Scotsman and the Venice Simplon Orient Express did not exist .
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: yes)
In the distance he could hear a woman 's heels catching on the cobbles as she ran to keep an appointment . He stood listening to the footsteps coming closer to him . He could n't tell direction in the fog . It was as if the sounds were rising and falling with a supernatural air current . He heard a scream , some distance away .
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: yes)
My heart sank at the prospect of yet again missing the top in the thick fog , but we had a great treat in store . We left the path , shrouded in a beautiful and eerie veil of mist , coloured pink with the rising sun , and clambered up the hillside towards the ridge of Cairn Liath . My friend was about 50 feet above me and almost out of sight in the fog , when I heard him yell at me to ' come and see this ' . Those who have never been up a mountain when temperature inversion is at work have missed the most splendid sight . We were standing above the clouds , which formed a thick , bulbous ocean at our feet , out of which in every direction rose mountain tops like islands .
Idiom: neck of the woods (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I think I remember a tale long ago about a similar matter,’ he said . He rubbed his chin , ‘ Some years ago a platelayer named Jed Knighton opted out of the rat race and became what I suppose you 'd call a tramp . He wandered about this neck of the woods and he was quite harmless , he was fond of children . Anyway he lived in the old hut after the railway was taken up , we did n't see much of him in the winter but when the spring came round he would appear again . Then one year , about , well I ca n't remember when , we missed him .
Idiom: lay eyes on (used idiomatically: yes)
Harry laughed about this , saying that childbirth was like shelling peas to a woman , and that he 's be better off at sea after the mackerel than moping about at home and getting in the way of the womenfolk . But this did n't deter Sam at all , and three days later he was pacing in the kitchen while Letty Carew and Jane Polwhele assisted his wife in the delivery of a daughter . Sam was so relieved at the news that mother and child were well that the fact that he had n't won the wager was nothing to him , and when he first laid eyes on the baby all he could do was kneel down and weep for joy . She was everything he had dared hope for , and more : she had perfect features and limbs , an endearing , screwed - up little face and a trace of dark hair on her pate , just to show she took after her parents . They had already decided upon a name .
Idiom: marriage of convenience (used idiomatically: yes)
The banks were stuffed with petro - dollars . And Third World countries were desperate for money to fuel development . It was a marriage of convenience : the loans came thick and fast . ‘ Then interest rates unexpectedly rocketed . After a long struggle , Mexico finally refused to pay : it was 1982 and the country had an 80-billion - dollar debt .
Idiom: catch someone's eye (used idiomatically: yes)
ROS : Most like a gentleman . GUIL:(Returning in time to take it up ) But with much forcing of his disposition . ROS:(A flat lie and he knows it and shows it , perhaps catching GUIL ' s eye ) Niggard of question , but of our demands most free in his reply . GERTRUDE : Did you assay him to any pastime ? ROS : Madam , it so fell out that certain players We o'erraught on the way : of these we told him And there did seem in him a kind of joy To hear of it .
Idiom: in the club (used idiomatically: yes)
Mrs. Tanaka and I were in the kendo club together when we were in college .
Idiom: in the soup (used idiomatically: yes)
Chemical treatments can offer dramatic short results , but have drawbacks in terms of a sudden die - back and de - oxygenation of the water . Well - run U / V , backed up by efficient filtration , is to date the only proven method to clear and continue to prevent green water . Green water can actually be beneficial to your pond fish and a few weeks in a thick green soup can improve your fish 's vitality and colour — but if you ca n't see the fish , there 's not a lot of point in keeping them . How do they work ? Passing green water through the beam of a U / V damages and/or flocculates ( clumps together ) algae , when your filter can remove it .
Idiom: come hell or high water (used idiomatically: yes)
Relations were more adversarial in the other district but this reflected longer - term problems . This corporate approach as well as the " steady state " requirements of the NHSME in the first year of contracting not only affected the district 's attitudes to its own providers but also what they hoped to achieve from the changes . In the first district ( A ) all services provided by its own units were deemed to be " core " by the DGM and were to be supplied within the district " come hell or high water " . This approach was influenced by the belief that the district existed to support the units who would be free to compete and increase their market share as long as this did not jeopardise work for their " home " district . Both the district and unit team were confident that they could increase their share of the market , based on their entrepreneurial record , spare capacity and efficient units .
Idiom: like the clappers (used idiomatically: yes)
Steady down . Aye Well , you know , if , if they come like the bloody clappers there ! Oh . Int there er , int there a gravestone or summat on that side
Idiom: turn the corner (used idiomatically: yes)
The animal was screeching and flapping the air . The old peasant was demonic in her rage . As I turned the corner , chicken and peasant grew limp together , one in triumph , the other in defeat . Shaken , I fled down the lane towards the village . And then I slowed down again .
Idiom: throw down the gauntlet (used idiomatically: yes)
CHANCELLOR Kenneth Clarke today waded into a fresh Tory rift over public spending after delivering a broad hint that his November Budget will bring rises in indirect taxes . And the signals suggested Mr Clarke may opt to extend the scope of VAT to newspapers , food , children 's clothing , and could also tinker with tax allowances to pull in extra revenue . Mr Clarke threw down the gauntlet to a trio of Cabinet colleagues in the vanguard of demands for deeper spending cuts instead of higher taxes to tackle the projected £ 50 billion deficit . Protests His remarks , in a Daily Telegraph interview , triggered protests from right - wing Tory MPs and pitched the Cabinet into more controversy as it met for the first time since the summer break .
Idiom: come of age (used idiomatically: yes)
Sometimes , Duroc missed his uncle . But the succession had had to take place . Duroc had had to come of age and replace the older Duroc in the service of Nguyen Seth . Blevins Barricune , the ex - Op Duroc had put in charge of the city limits , came through on the intercom . ‘ We have a sighting , sir.’
Idiom: hit the headlines (used idiomatically: yes)
I am also visiting the various sites over coming weeks and look forward to hearing your views about how we can work together to secure the best outcome for AEA and its employees . There 's often a lot of hot air spoken about airbags — you know , the devices that inflate rapidly in an accident — but one things for sure , they certainly help save lives . These devices hit the headlines a few years back when two cars in the United States collided at a closing speed of some 70 miles per hour . The cars were written off in the accident , but both drivers amazingly walked away with just minor cuts and bruises . They both had cars equipped with airbags .
Idiom: every last (used idiomatically: yes)
Then he was ready to carry his stolen feast back to his room . As he re - entered the main kitchen the dogs leaped to their feet , sniffing the air . On one of his recent trips they had frightened him so much that he dropped his food and had to watch helplessly while they devoured every last scrap of it . And once he had heard Sweetheart coming down the stairs , her high - heels ringing on the stone steps , and he had thrown the stolen food in Rosie 's corner in a panic . It was gone in a trice , saving him from a terrible thrashing or many long hours standing in disgrace .
Idiom: shake a leg (used idiomatically: yes)
Raise and lower your left leg , not too high in a fast , continuous movement . Pull up your leg muscles and feel how solid that left thigh is becoming ! Shake out your left leg and repeat the exercise with your right . Lie on your left side , supported by your left arm , the right arm placed in front , your left leg bent underneath . Raise your right leg , flexing the foot so that your toes are pointed toward the front .
Idiom: show a leg (used idiomatically: yes)
Dramatic colours look great with neutral , slimline pants . Choose these soft linen pants for comfort and style . Wear these striking cropped trousers with strappy kitten - heeled shoes to show off your legs to best effect . Team eye - catching checks and a fitted blouse with a sweetheart neckline , for the ultimate in 50s glamour . Fashionable lacing on the waistband of these trousers helps to accentuate a trim figure .
Idiom: odds and ends (used idiomatically: yes)
They did n't tell her that they wanted to see whether it was still empty , just in case they could have it for Brownie Pack Meetings . The old barn door was open . Farmer Olinton kept various farm implements on the ground floor , but up above , in the big loft there was only straw and some sacking and odds and ends . It would be a thrilling place for Brownies to meet in — both girls agreed about that . Even climbing the ladder into it was an extra excitement .
Idiom: eternal triangle (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Crying her eyes out upstairs , poor darling . Why the hell could n't you have been nicer to her , Mother?’ They stood facing each other in the hall , mother and son who had never been close , locked in the eternal triangle . ‘ I did my best,’ Blanche Arbuthnot answered . ‘ She was n't exactly friendly to me .
Idiom: follow suit (used idiomatically: yes)
She spoke too soon . The German magazine Die Stern had also bought rights to the letter , and published it the next day , with a lengthy translation and a headline proclaiming , ‘ Drink , Birds and Politics — Prince Confesses.’ Under the guise of outrage , the Daily Post self - righteously took up the story , forcing the other Fleet Street newspapers to follow suit . By the time Richard and Murray were called to the headmaster 's study a sheaf of publications headlining the incident were laid out on the large drum table . ‘ Sir , I swear I do n't know how it happened.’
Idiom: on the game (used idiomatically: no)
‘ If you say you 're Asian , you can make money easy . Asian guys will go for you and so will even some white guys , if they 're feeling adventurous.’ Sarah was put in care at a very young age — and was on the game even while under the supervi - sion of social workers . She said : ‘ They knew what I was doing , but they just let me carry on.’ Dalbir , 23 , is another prostitute .
Idiom: see stars (used idiomatically: yes)
' And what ? ' ' 'S great . See the stars . Think about the sea . ' ' You ever been to sea ?
Idiom: on edge (used idiomatically: yes)
Me and my colleagues lived in a small 2 room cabin built on the edge of a cliff on the mountain . I say 2 rooms , but besides the entrance , there was a 6 by 2 tatami room . We ate potatoes , dried fish and tofu .
Idiom: have a heart (used idiomatically: no)
He met people , made friends and absent - mindedly let them drive him home to his parents , forgetting the bride upstairs who was waiting for him to come and claim his ' marital rights ' . It is a funny story , but it seems that the reviewer mainly liked it because it was not very likely to please the editor of a women 's magazine . But his unkindest cut at Elizabeth was to call her heartless ; she had only too much heart for her comfort . That summer of 1959 Elizabeth 's son , Renny , was appallingly injured in a motor accident . It was Elizabeth 's courage and devotion that kept him alive until his own courage could take over .
Idiom: in the works (used idiomatically: yes)
To extend higher education opportunities for those who are at present under - represented in higher education . 3 . To facilitate the continuing personal and professional development of those in work or seeking to re - enter or change work . 4 . Through applied research and consultancy activities and courses , to assist business , industry , cultural organisations , public services , the professions , and the community at large .
Idiom: by heart (used idiomatically: yes)
Jane Moore BOY wonder Nicholas MacMahon enters a brave new world as he takes his first tentative taps on a computer keyboard . Brunel University chiefs invited the talented four - year - old , who can already speak French and knows the Highway Code by heart , to their West London Institute after hearing he found primary school dull . But while Nicholas sits alongside undergraduates and gets to grips with computing , a row brews over his future . Nicholas 's story has parallels with the fictional film Little Man Tate , directed by Jodie Foster .
Idiom: on edge (used idiomatically: no)
After the Moabite armies had been wiped out , all of the enemy women ‘ that have known man by lying with him’ were ordered to be killed , a public health measure of a rather drastic order , although one that was highly effective . There are several references to what may have been congenital syphilis . The visiting of the iniquity of their fathers on to succeeding generations in the Third Commandment , the banning of ‘ he that hath a flat nose’ , and the writing ‘ the fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children 's teeth are set on edge’ are suggestive of the stigmata of congenital syphilis . Other theories on the origin or evolution of syphilis and the other diseases caused by similar organisms suggest that different populations have their own endemic treponemal disease , be it yaws , pinta , or syphilis , the presence of which makes it hard for one of the others to establish itself . Thus in yaws - endemic areas , where the disease is largely spread non - venereally in childhood , there is little opportunity for syphilis to spread , because of the degree of cross - immunity in the community .
Idiom: take heart (used idiomatically: no)
' Yes , Luke , ' she cried . ' Oh , yes ! ' And then he entered her and she felt the sudden glorious thrust of possession as together they reached the pinnacle of pleasure and he took her heart and soul forever — with his love .
Idiom: take the plunge (used idiomatically: yes)
NEXT MONTH Next month I 'll be looking at technical support hotlines , and where you can get independent advice if you 've got problems with your software . Until then , our Buying With Confidence section on page 66 explains how to protect yourself when you take the plunge . BUYER REVIEWS MINI REVIEWS
Idiom: dog eat dog (used idiomatically: yes)
It was only after the failure of the economic system had undermined the free market ethos that unions finally gained legitimacy , if not acceptance , and largely because of government legislation giving workers the right to form unions and engage in collective bargaining . Trade unions became an important part of the Keynesian neo - capitalist revolution which prompted government intervention in the economy to overcome the inability of an unregulated free market economy to grow adequately or to distribute income fairly . For 20 years after World War Two it seemed possible that the dog eat dog ‘ survival of the fittest’ brand of free market capitalism had been supplanted by a social contract between employers and workers , with only occasional mediation by the state . But by the mid-1960s it had become evident that the post - war promise of unlimited prosperity and the reduction of class conflict was illusory . Increased competition in the international economy put the squeeze on North American and Western European producers and forced them to cut costs and improve productivity .
Idiom: left and right (used idiomatically: no)
When Tucker caught himself shrugging apologetically at the parrots he knew he was out of his depth . He slung his jacket over his shoulder and , anointing his fingertips in the breast pocket of his shirt , ascended the two shallow steps leading into the main part of the house . It was one great , shadowed room with bedroom suites flung , at first - floor level , to left and right . Guests would stay in a cottage in the garden . All the cooking , eating , living went on under this vaulted ceiling with its skylights , around this central fireplace , on this limestone floor knuckled with the imprints of fossils .
Idiom: to the letter (used idiomatically: yes)
I was mildly worried by the large postbag . In fact , the numbers of Punch aficionados make me worry that the same end will come to the comp complex as came to Punch . I think back to the letters of complaint I had when a ‘ rap’ competition was set . And now I have had a letter from Katie Mallett , saying she will not be entering no 3225 ‘ because I did n't see the TV exposé of Summerhill , and have n't got the faintest clue what it 's like’ . As we 're on the subject of complaints , I might as well say that we 've had one from Naomi Marks .
Idiom: clean house (used idiomatically: no)
Ah , oh , sigh , gorgeous . Everybody gone , house quiet , free day , stretching , stretch of limbs to the day , stretch after night , day ahead , exciting . Special article on Latin America , read that later , perhaps little wandel down to pub garden at lunch carrying the paper , treat outing ½ pint and seeing the world , back to nice clean house still one 's own no interruptions . Go out to get not let it come in . Eight o'clock now , everyone gone , everything cleared up , pile of brown envelopes already in pillar box , reading this quite dense exceptionally good book on cities before 8.30 in the morning , get those seeds in today , but now vigorous black letters on smooth white page , really getting down to it ; all in gear , everything clicking in evenly going round , peace and activity suspended in an active stillness like a basket on a wave , Moses rocking in the rippling bullrushes all that coiled sleeping force .
Idiom: tough titty (used idiomatically: yes)
You do n't swap he , he gives you one There 's nothing that I want though for spare , cos I 've probably got it Tough titties Swap your card with the player to your left Mm
Idiom: left and right (used idiomatically: yes)
France 's two environmental parties , Les Verts and Génération Ecologie , ratified their agreement to co - operate in the forthcoming elections in mid - January [ see ED65/66 ] . Lists of candidates for 547 of the 551 constituencies have been drawn up , of which 278 will be fought by Les Verts and 269 by GE . Opinion polls predict that the Green alliance could win at least 15 - 17 per cent of the vote in the elections ; an 18 per cent share would give it a chance of holding the balance of power between left and right in the national assembly . Le Monde 8 , 12 January European 21 - 24 January Environmental Politics