Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: with a view to (used idiomatically: yes)
It is possible to nuance this view slightly as regards the Edinburgh union leadership . There may just have been some hope of effecting change through organization , especially when the numbers of women were still low ( about 300 at the end of the 18805 ) , though the means chosen were not welcomed by the rank and file of the men 's union . Although unfortunately details of the projects are tantalizingly hard to ascertain , at least two attempts were made after 1888 by the Edinburgh Typographical Society to set up a women 's union , The first , in the late 1880s , is referred to only in the retrospective " statement on the Female Question " , published in 1904 ; Miss Black of London [ who must have been Clementina Black]a lady who was well - known for her efforts to improve the social condition of her sex , offered to make an endeavour to organise the female compositors in Edinburgh , with a view to remedying the evils complained of by the journeymen . The branch committee favourably entertained Miss Black 's assistance , but on it being remitted to a general meeting of the Society , it was rejected on the grounds that if the females were organised , their position would be improved as an industry for females , which would result in great accession to their numbers in the printing trade in Edinburgh . " What seems to have happened here ( as on other matters ) is a division of Opinion between the ETS committee who may have been quite sincere in trying a long - term solution — and the knee - jerk reaction of the membership against the permanent acceptance of women as compositors which the project undeniably contained .
Idiom: put the boot in (used idiomatically: yes)
To Labour protests , Michael Forsyth , the Employment Minister , said continued state cash support was ‘ inappropriate’ . Introducing a clause to the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill , he said that the subsidy , which amounted to £ 4.2 million last year , would be phased out between now and 1996 . Opposition MPs claimed that the move was just another way of ‘ putting the boot in’ to the unions , which they said were loathed and detested by the Government . Mr Forsyth denied that ministers were anti - trade union . He also moved new clauses to stop unions from sending out ‘ propaganda’ with voting papers in merger ballots .
Idiom: in the family way (used idiomatically: yes)
At least John Quincy Adams left the clerk his personal details after the ceremony , unlike one couple married there in 1650 , who went away and ‘ … gave not their names’ . In the circumstances , Benjamin Titford might have been tempted not to leave his name in the parish register , either , as his bride came gingerly down the aisle bearing his as - yet - unborn son and heir . One may imagine William Charles tut - tutting in the front pews : ‘ To think that young brother o’ mine , Ben , would disgrace us all by getting Bob Hasted 's daughter in the family way … silly young shaver … ' . Charles the Cheesemonger had signed his marriage certificate with a cross — a common enough occurrence , in the event , even among those who could read and write if they put their minds to it . But one of Charles 's achievements was to ensure that all his children who reached adulthood , male or female , could at least sign their names ; his daughter Elizabeth had produced a most business - like signature at her marriage in 1802 and , here at All Hallows , Benjamin signed with a flourish , above the rather more demure attempt of his new wife .
Idiom: something nasty in the woodshed (used idiomatically: yes)
On the level of popular literature it demolished Mary Webb and Precious Bane ( Stanley Baldwin 's favourite ) . On the higher literary level it rubbished quite a bit of Hardy and much of D.H.Lawrence . It introduced to the language the phrase about ‘ something nasty in the woodshed’ . And finally , it brought on that rich cast of wooden - topped rustics , the Starkadders , with Aunt Ada Doom in the star part , not to speak of the simpleton whose main pleasure in life was doing the washing up , or as he called it , clettering the dishes with his liddle mop . Then there was Big Business the bull , and Our Graceless , a three - legged cow with a wooden leg .
Idiom: hot air (used idiomatically: no)
Until recently Germany accounted for a fifth of its total sales . Along with the nylon balloon itself , the company also supplies components such as willow - and - cane baskets , burners to heat up the air inside the balloon , gas cylinders and control valves . But in the past year German authorities withdrew approval for certain components which Cameron and some other hot - air balloon manufacturers have been using worldwide for the past 20 years . Mr Cameron claims there is no reason for this other than to favour Germany 's balloon makers . Take Cameron 's stainless - steel gas cylinders .
Idiom: fall from grace (used idiomatically: yes)
As the last word tripped off Lamont 's mouth the room half emptied as bored businessmen raced for the buffet tables and the cold Chablis . Top MTM man RICHARD Lines ' fall from grace is almost complete . Only one more thing remains to make it so : David Fyfe taking over Lines ' former position of managing director at the troubled chemicals company MTM . Or , slightly less galling , Fyfe 's new company Hickson & Welch of Castleford taking over the company completely .
Idiom: go to ground (used idiomatically: yes)
It was reported on local radio on May 23 that a commission had already been established to draft the rules and basis for the Democratic Constituent Congress . It was to be headed by former UN Secretary - General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar and would include representatives of political parties , the government , the National Peace Commission and the Church . Jorge del Castillo of the main opposition American Popular Revolutionary Alliance ( APRA , whose secretary - general Alan García Pérez had gone to ground following the April presidential coup — see p. 38846 ) , announced on May 15 that the party would not participate in the municipal elections , still scheduled to take place in November 1992 . New Attorney General The appointment of a new " temporary " Attorney General , Blanca Nerida Golán Maguina , was announced in late May.
Idiom: state of the art (used idiomatically: yes)
Full marks for style , but how on earth is he going to cope when environmental matters are on the agenda ? Tomo Cesen , the man who almost certainly climbed the South Face of Lhotse but forgot to take any pictures , arrived for his session with a highly professional career package . His state - of - the - art audio - visual was stunning , and he already has the book of the film of the climbs in print . It 's called ' Sam ' — Yugoslavian for ' alone ' — and has a series of stunning shots of his solo exploits in the Alps and Himalayas . This man understands the need to get the product on the market at the right time .
Idiom: for a song (used idiomatically: yes)
Rob took the chorus chords of ' Upon My Heart ' from the middle eight of a Bananarama song . ' These Simple Things ' uses some chords found on an early Jack Bruce LP . In his Filofax he has a list of possible sources —'a certain Sly Stone LP , track two , side one , outro chorus ' — for the next album 's songs . It was also he who scribbled down the title ' Deeply Dippy ' one evening when he heard the phrase used in a Fry and Laurie exchange on Jeeves And Wooster . Before that , the song 's original first line , also his , had not been ' Deeply dippy 'bout the curves you got ' but ' She lost her knickers on the underground ' .
Idiom: one and the same (used idiomatically: yes)
And I do . In the above example , do is a substitute for like movies . Items commonly used in substitution in English include do , one , and the same , as in the following examples from Halliday and Hasan ( 1976 : 89 ; 105 ) : You think Joan already knows ? — I think everybody does . ( Does replaces knows ) .
Idiom: champ at the bit (used idiomatically: yes)
Mark glanced round the room . ' Look , sweetheart , must n't keep you away from the punters . By the looks of 'em , they are all champing at the bit to place their bets . And you are the hot favourite , bonny lass . No doubt about that .
Idiom: have a few (used idiomatically: no)
He reports a significant increase in interest since private clients began to be deserted by some of the big City brokers . Regional stockbrokers like Leeds - based Redmayne - Bentley have a low minimum of £ 10,000 for their management service and report consistent interest in their portfolio management services . The investor who has a few privatisation shares and wants to extend a portfolio without paying for advice does have a cheap alternative to discretionary portfolio management . The banks and building societies , together with specialist execution - only services such as Sharelink and the Debenhams share shops , now offer a range of services to the would - be investor . Sharelink has built up a clientele of about 57,000 in two years .
Idiom: on the house (used idiomatically: no)
But when she did find the street , it seemed curiously familiar . Bob had never described it to her ; it just seemed right for him . The cream stucco on the houses — the imposing pillared porches with their black - and - white tiled steps ; she felt as if she had seen it all before in a dream . Through the ground - floor window of one house she saw a room lined with dusty books . A man with his back to her bent over a large table covered with papers , his silver hair catching the light from an overhead lamp .
Idiom: drink like a fish (used idiomatically: yes)
I agreed with my mistress . I remembered those sessions at the Lusitano with Jean Carmichael . They drank like fishes , those guys . Bill Mabbeley was the only one who could keep up with Jean . Funny how it had been malai policy to murder him and , earlier , the young men in the television crew , and now it was policy to stand them , or their kind , a round at the bar .
Idiom: under the sun (used idiomatically: yes)
The new I want . Nothing new under the sun . Care of P .~ O .~ Dolphin 's barn . Are you not happy in your ?
Idiom: bear in mind (used idiomatically: yes)
There are a few things to be wary of in using the fifty millesimals . The dilution is performed by the patient often without supervision , and they may not understand or follow instructions . Very clear directions must therefore be given , bearing in mind that with so many dilutions the patient may think the remedy is too strong , or misunderstand the process in some way . It is particularly important when using this scale that your remedy is well selected . If it covers the case only superficially there is the possibility of palliation and suppression without cure , the more so as it is repeated so frequently .
Idiom: rule of thumb (used idiomatically: yes)
Since for each item there is a 50 per cent chance of a correct response simply by guessing , children with scores of 8 or less on any set are regarded as in need of retesting , while very low scores ( 0–1 ) indicate that the child is systematically misunderstanding the meanings to be derived from word order . The WOCT does not provide age norms , but it has been piloted with groups of normal and handicapped children , aged between 4 and 5 years 5 months , from lower social class backgrounds . Success for the normal children ranged from 82 per cent to 100 per cent , and Fenn suggests that , as a rule of thumb , a child who fails the test should be regarded as functioning below the level of the normal 4- to 5-year - old . Data from 100 deaf and mentally handicapped children showed considerable variability and performance was not related to scores from the Reynell Developmental Language Scales ( see below ) or the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test ( see above ) . This suggests that this test has identified a linguistic skill which is distinct from the linguistic abilities required for success on these other tests .
Idiom: strike a chord (used idiomatically: yes)
It is in the switch from a applied politics to the area of principle that , Reekie agreed , the most substantial change for 7:84 had occurred . ‘ Agitprop can sometimes be effective , but the problems facing us today are so wide that the only way to engage people and pose dilemmas is to key into matters which are universal . Antigone still strikes a chord . We have not answered the questions it raises , and they still need to be confronted.’ There is an undeniable gulf of philosophy between political theatre which dedicates itself to featuring everyday concerns such as poll tax or unemployment , and one whose politics are expressed more elliptically through the histories of Thebes 2,000 years ago .
Idiom: up with the lark (used idiomatically: yes)
Brittain for Kempton double NEEDLE Gun and Boloardo have the credentials and have been working well enough this Spring to land a Kempton double today for the Clive Brittain - Michael Roberts combination ( writes our Newmarket correspondent ) . Brittain is always up with the lark and it was a nice piece of work that Needle Gun did under Roberts on the Side Hill woodchip gallops early on Tuesday that makes me select him for the Laburnum Stakes . The three - year - old showed promise as a juvenile with his best effort probably being his length and a half second to Petardia in the Group Three Champagne Stakes at Doncaster . On his final outing there was also a lot to like about his fourth to desert Secret and Geisway in the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot .
Idiom: fit the bill (used idiomatically: yes)
A much more important statistic however , is the ability to travel from 50 to 70 mph in 3rd in just 3.4 seconds . And top speed ? Just over 160 mph should fit the bill . Only the blistering 911 Turbo is quicker . More impressive even than the RS 's sheer power are it 's handling characteristics .
Idiom: go overboard (used idiomatically: yes)
How ? " " I was standing at the ship 's side , and the chain caught on something and broke . It went overboard into the sea . " He turned away from her and walked to a tall window which overlooked a formal garden with little hedges , statues and fountains . When he turned , she saw that he was trembling .
Idiom: off the beaten track (used idiomatically: yes)
The South - west , Wales and the North - west have more heavy drinkers . HOLIDAYS Holidaymakers in the south go off the beaten track . In Yorkshire and East Anglia trippers return to the same places . Scots go to eat and drink and Londoners take the car .
Idiom: out of sight (used idiomatically: yes)
The latest theft happened at a Shell garage in Marlborough Road at Swindon . Two other garages have been hit by the same man in just 6 days and a police helicopter is on standby to track him next time he strikes . Police believe it 's only a matter of time before the robber uses the knife which he keeps out of sight while demanding money . They 're asking anyone who recognises him to call their nearest police station . ( AD LIB ANNE )
Idiom: blow someone's cover (used idiomatically: yes)
He was quite prepared to use force if that was necessary . He had hesitated when he was asked to go . One mistake could blow his cover and ruin years of careful work in the North . Then he remembered something and knew he was in duty bound to take that risk . A lunch on Sunday in the Gloucestershire garden by the pool .
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: yes)
… AS SUN PREPARES DRAGON MP MACHINES SunDragon , the Sun Microsystems Inc multi - processor due out on November 10 , will be initially limited to maximum configurations of eight CPUs , we 're told , even though it is bound to talk about a ceiling of twenty - processors which is further down the road . Sun is planning to deliver a hundred ‘ gamma’ Dragons in January with the beasts running an alpha release of Solaris 2.2 . April is the best guess for first deliveries .
Idiom: leave no stone unturned (used idiomatically: yes)
Paul had had some difficulty in prising the really caked bits of spaghetti off the bottom of the pan but , with a light wristy action perfected on Wall 's sausages which burst their skin , he managed to get all but the blackest fragments out . Another Methuselah of Lutomer Riesling later , it was on to the Safeway own - brand cod fish fingers served on a bed of baked beans , accompanied by large dishes of McCain 's oven chips and Findus frozen peas , with a choice of HP sauce or plain ketchup . For afters , no stone was left unturned : Wall 's Viennetta vied with two flavours of Bird 's Instant Whip for the affections of the eaters , while scattered tantalizingly around the periphery of the table stood bowls of orange - flavoured Matchmakers and a couple of full bottles of Bailey 's Irish Cream . It took Paul , Kate , Helen and Michael about half an hour to wolf down the lot . Total cost of ingredients , including grog : £ 57.87 .
Idiom: under the table (used idiomatically: no)
Er We have n't been to it 's daddy 's under the table . the er Ge go under , under the chair .
Idiom: to the letter (used idiomatically: yes)
Better communication might clear up some of the problems . Mr. Cox I have a great deal of sympathy for the hon . Gentleman , because I am sure that all hon . Members are annoyed when they do not receive replies to letters . If he wishes me to try to speed up replies , I shall certainly do so . The hon . Gentleman has been a Minister and is conversant with the systems that operate here .
Idiom: out of the blue (used idiomatically: yes)
This was not understood . The speaker , with best of intentions went on repeating ‘ Edinburgh’ more and more loudly and making his face more and more distorted . If , instead , he had replied by a whole sentence — say —‘Mr Smith 's away this week , gone up North to see his old mother’ this would have been understood whereas a proper name ( Edinburgh ) out of the blue and with no helpful context is n't easy ! In addition it was not surprising that Mr A was totally flummoxed when suddenly there is no voice and somebody begins to make faces instead . Clear speech whether or not you hear well
Idiom: pigs might fly (used idiomatically: no)
If you are worried about your symptoms , see your GP straight away . YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE IT Pigs might fly ? Some do … Jockeying for position , these racing pigs took part in the first - ever Porky Grand National
Idiom: as the crow flies (used idiomatically: yes)
But they 're still not their disciplines . But not even they could have expected the rigours of Wendover Woods next to RAF Halton . The course should be five and a half miles as the crow flies . But that 's through high trees and up steep hills . Male speaker
Idiom: catch the sun (used idiomatically: yes)
Esna , a series of dusty streets and alleys , is still asleep , apart from the odd scavenging tat - eared dog . The temple sits some fifty feet down in its own huge sandpit , buried for centuries until someone tripped over what turned out to be the top of a pillar . High above , in abrupt contrast , sit the comparatively recent buildings of the town , their roofs and turrets catching the early morning sun . Back on board , the senior consultants , having had a council of war , open up with a full frontal attack of heavy verbal artillery , ending with a chilling final volley : ' Most of us will be taking samples home for analysis . ' And sending each other massive consultancy bills , I think to myself , while my well practised straight face almost lets me down with both this thought and that of the possible scenario in the Heathrow customs hall .
Idiom: keep tabs on (used idiomatically: yes)
So , on the whole I am cautiously in favour of machines inspecting passports at great speed , a scheme experimentally working at Heathrow . It seems to me to reduce the passport to what it generally is in practice , a not too efficient identification card , of which few authorities take much real notice . On the other hand there are , in some people 's opinions , sinister overtones of being able to keep tabs on a person 's movements , though how that differs from the present system I am not quite sure . Of course you do not have a legal obligation to show a passport to get out of the country ; you do have , to get in . So I think I am right in saying that all that queuing and handing over at desks on the way out is nonsense .
Idiom: come clean (used idiomatically: yes)
For a start , there 's a whole team of people who work to make sure it happens in the first place . I wo n't go into too much detail — I remember Glenda Jackson talking about a theatre review she 'd read where every single member of the cast was listed — and at the very end it said : ‘ And Miss Yvonne Smith made a very good prompt … .’ I 'll try to spare you that , but I guess it 's about time I came clean and admitted it 's by no means a one - man show . There 's the producer , the associate producer , the director , the production assistant who works with the director , and the team of researchers . There are the cameramen , the floor managers , the set designer … and indeed there is a lady with a prompting machine — in short , a lot of skilled people all dedicated to making the show run smoothly .
Idiom: on the wagon (used idiomatically: yes)
When the truck had dumped me and my kit - bag at the Guard Room and I had a chance to look around me , I spied in the middle distance a cluster of substantial looking buildings . This was hopeful , and the Guard Room Corporal confirmed that that was where I would find the Met Office . But when I enquired about the location of the Waaf Site , I was told to climb back on the wagon . Ten minutes later , at the end of a long downward - sloping track , the Waafery appeared out of the mist , the usual huddle of rounded Nissen huts , surrounded by the usual mud . My already depressed spirits sank a few notches lower .
Idiom: in the short run (used idiomatically: yes)
Mr de Klerk has responded to the formation of the Volksfront by denouncing the participation of the ex - generals as an attempt to politicise the security forces . Outright sedition is , however , a pretty remote outcome . In the short run , the chief impact of the Volksfront will be to strengthen the hand of the white right — and of its quasi - secessionist ally , Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi 's Natal - based Inkatha Freedom Party — in the continuing constitutional negotiations . Although this alliance may not last for long , both sides have an interest in sticking together while negotiations continue . The Volksfront is vague on whether ' self - determination ' means fully fledged nationhood , or whether regional autonomy would do .
Idiom: hot air (used idiomatically: yes)
I will be working closely with Brian Eyre over coming months to help to create the climate that will lead to favourable decisions about our future . 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 .
Idiom: tit for tat (used idiomatically: yes)
Coming back to our knife - edge , then , Tit for Tat could surmount it . All that is required is a little local clustering , of a sort that will naturally tend to arise in natural populations . Tit for Tat has a built - in gift , even when rare , for crossing the knife - edge over to its own side . It is as though there were a secret passage underneath the knife - edge . But that secret passage contains a one - way valve : there is an asymmetry .