Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: out to lunch (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Oh there you are , you two,’ said Mervyn irritably . He held an open book in his hand . ‘ I ca n't have all my staff out to lunch at the same time.’ ‘ I 'm sorry,’ said Ianthe . ‘ We 've been to church.’
Idiom: make ends meet (used idiomatically: yes)
Yes , an and what really upset the erm the , the members of the scheme and the pensioners was the fact that the money was going to actually erm fund the redundancy per programme er for the business and was going to the benefit of the employees and none of it was going to the actual pensioners . Although they did n't , they did n't act illegally , they did n't say right , we 're going to make the redundancy payment act , but what they did say you retire at fifty , we will make your we will enhance your pension to what you would have got at age sixty , we will enhance your lump sum to what you would have got at age sixty and erm give you a redundancy payment from the firm and obviously everybody fifty and plus they 've gone in thousands , they had enormous waiting lists and then they had to say no , you ca n't go you know , too many people wanted to go . What happened , people should have been paying in for ten years were suddenly taking out for ten years and these huge enormous sums and obviously the surplus which our members had helped to build up er and provide through the years and we 've got seventy - five year olds on you know , extremely low pensions hardly making ends meet , and there were vast sums of money being given away to the employees , that the employers took a contribution holiday and so they were n't paying into the fund either you know , and all the profits of B T as you all know were soaring and partially because of the use of the pension funds and this has greatly obviously erm upset our members and we feel very strongly about it . Right . As you are probably aware Chairman from the media that the British Steel National Association of British Steel Pensioners also have a problem with a surplus and are seeking legal advice as to what has taken place .
Idiom: break new ground (used idiomatically: yes)
Neurosurgeons at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford successfully removed a blood clot from her brain . She 's now been transferred to the nearby private Acland Hospital . A health service trust has broken new ground in caring for people with Alzheimers disease . It 's teamed up with a charity to start a purpose - built home for sufferers . The home will be officially opened by the Duchess of Gloucester tomorrow .
Idiom: draw the short straw (used idiomatically: yes)
And yet he remains ever cheerful , as happy as a Redcar sandboy doing an impression of King Canute . He has even invented a punning , almost paradoxical , nickname for himself the man with the yellow rosette and the smile has become Never Say Dai Wilson . ‘ Someone has to draw the short straw,’ says Big Stan , 60 . ‘ When Paddy Ashdown parachuted me in , I asked him what happened if I was taken prisoner . ‘ He told me that in every war there had to be some casualties .
Idiom: keep tabs on (used idiomatically: yes)
Called Powersafe , it aims to take the worry out of monitoring electrical equipment in the workplace , a task made compulsory by the UK 's 1990 Electricity at Work Regulations . The new regulations place responsibility on businesses and industry to minimise the risk of fatality or personal injury due to faulty electrical appliances and fixtures in the workplace . For the untrained , keeping tabs on this type of equipment , both technically and administratively , can be difficult , but Powersafe has been set up specifically to manage the inspection and testing of electrical installations and equipment used in industry , commerce and public utilities . Over 100 million pieces Over 100 million pieces of equipment in the UK are governed by the new regulations , from kettles and hairdriers to fax machines and power drills — in fact anything with which employees or the public may come into contact .
Idiom: grasp the nettle (used idiomatically: yes)
It would be terrible . ' I do n't believe they will separate and not divorce . ' After this extraordinary year it is about time the nettle was grasped . ' It is better for these problems to be dealt with now rather than later . ' The whole thing was over - ripe for an overhaul . '
Idiom: by heart (used idiomatically: yes)
I switch on my laptop , start up the browser , and type in the address I ' ve already learnt by ~ heart .
Idiom: tell tales (used idiomatically: no)
The focus in the distance was not sharp enough for her to be able to tell much more about him . She stood at the foot of the staircase which led up to the tower but even Jacqueline , so well known for her early rising that her grandfather called her the Dawn Patrol , was silent . She wandered back into the small sitting - room with her mug of tea , put it down on the polished surface of a table but removed it hastily in case it left a tell - tale ring which S. Kettering might complain about in the future . And yet , now she had taken possession of ‘ La Felicità’ , she no longer felt so much in awe of the absentee landlord as a half - amused curiosity about him . Finding out about Kettering was , she thought , a private game which she might set herself to play on this holiday .
Idiom: vale of tears (used idiomatically: yes)
They had been once , all together : the procession had suddenly swirled past them , the men shouting and sobbing around the towering carnival float with the Madonna swaying at its apex in a white satin gown embroidered with gold . She was in all her bridal finery , although her son was already born , poised stiff on her arm in a dress of the same stuff , and both of them were wearing starburst crowns on their heads . Mary tottered up on her perch from side to side but nothing wiped the mild , sweet benignity from her doll 's face as she dropped the dew of her mercy down from heaven on the mortal exiles below wailing and weeping in the vale of tears . Inert , mute , untouchable , she seemed uncanny and prodigious to Rosa , who wanted her to protest the hectic fury all around her , to come alive and give a sign , as , below her , the volunteers hauling the lumbering shrine on their backs on poles criss - crossed and tethered grew more obstreperous and howled and the crowd pressed up and obstructed their laborious way ahead ; after three turns around the piazza they at last reached the platform in the middle , only a little distance from the Duomo they had left , and the sweat - streaked bearers put down the skewed tower on which the Madonna stood , and tumbled to their knees . The priest blessed them , then gave the word , and with a roar , knives unsheathed , the front ranks of the crowd rushed the dais and slashed at the wood of the Virgin 's triumphal car and , shouting aloud , carried it off in fragments ; she continued to look upon it all unmoved from her new perch , and someone came back glorying in his spoils — was it her uncle , or her mother 's father?— with splinters for each of the family and a chunk the size of a brick for himself .
Idiom: close shave (used idiomatically: yes)
That would account for the eight per cent swing from Labour to the Conservatives , which boosted Alan Stewart 's majority in Eastwood to over 11,000 . It might account for the recapture of Aberdeen South and Kincardine and Deeside , for Michael Forsyth 's survival in Stirling , and for the remarkable defence by Phil Gallie , a new candidate , of George Younger 's 182 majority in Ayr . It must have something to do also with the close shave that Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Malcolm Bruce was given in Gordon , where his majority was trimmed by 9,000 . There is another intriguing thought . It has been received wisdom that Scotland is fiercely opposed to the NHS reforms , especially to hospital trusts .
Idiom: make a move (used idiomatically: yes)
Results of the project will be made public by IPA . IBM - MITSUBISHI JOINT VENTURE OPENS OPEN SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY CENTRE A joint venture company of Mitsubishi Electric Corp and IBM Japan Ltd , AST Co — no connection with AST Research Inc — has made moves to improve its standing in the open systems world , with the opening last month of an Open Systems Technology Centre , which will be a showcase for its multivendor and systems integration strategy . The centre will have a number of machines such as IBM RS/6000 , AS/400 and PS/55 linked to Sun Microsystems Inc and Hewlett - Packard Co workstations under Ethernet , and then to personal computers such as the top - selling NEC Corp 9800 under a Token Ring network . AST now earns 7 % of its revenue from open systems business , but is hoping to expand this to 30 % over the next three years .
Idiom: below par (used idiomatically: yes)
Forty five minutes later , weird shit starts , then fades into the classic light R&B of ‘ I Will Get By’ , before they play ‘ Darkstar’ over the forests of boom mics and the ' heads go manic . The 25 minute drum solo 's probably a wee bit excessive , though . You never know what the Dead are going to play — they do n't themselves — and according to the experts in the audience , tonight was below par . Wednesday was good , Thursday is bad . Tough shit , but with the Dead them 's the breaks .
Idiom: on someone's mind (used idiomatically: yes)
She put a clamp on thinking into Lucy 's why s and wherefores . Let there be an end to this self - searching monologue . Let Lucy say for herself what was on her mind . ‘ I 'm so sorry,’ she said , ‘ sorry you 're crying.’ ‘ You 're crying too,’ said Lucy .
Idiom: on someone's mind (used idiomatically: yes)
Moody was entertained at Dunrobin Castle near Golspie , and the Duke , who owned more acres than anyone in Europe , wrote to him , ' I shall never forget what I have heard from you . If you know what a life mine is , in ways I was not able to tell you the other day , and what a terrible story mine has been , you would pray for me much . ' The Duke and Duchess were old by this time and salvation uppermost on the Duke 's mind , it would seem . At Rogart the hills were blanketed with autumn - coloured trees , the brown treeless moors beyond ; in hollows of stubby hillocky straths little houses were dotted in isolation . Extensive sheep pens at the side of the line at Rogart indicated that stock still travel by rail to the markets in the south .
Idiom: stand someone in good stead (used idiomatically: yes)
Thank you , yes , erm thank you very much for inviting me to attend to those meetings and giving me the opportunity to meet you all . Having worked for a number of years now in community health services , previously erm in Yorkshire , in fact I 've only been down in Oxford about four or five months , I 've learnt how important it is in fact to make good working contacts with members and officers of other organizations , and particularly of local authority organizations . I 'm therefore doubly grateful to you for giving me the chance to meet you today , and I hope that some of the contacts I might make today will stand me in good stead in the job that I 'm doing in Oxford over the next year or so . I have sent round a briefing paper , and rather than go right through that , what I 'd just like to do is to highlight two or three things about myself and about the post that I now hold , and I would be pleased to answer any questions that you might have during the next two or three minutes . Firstly , just to set my own context , I 've been in the health service now for just over twenty year .
Idiom: under the sun (used idiomatically: yes)
The building was three storeys high , with a level roof - line over all the offices . The Saturday commented that it was ' dappled with imagery bold and graceful ' , but that the groups of clustered or arcaded windows could be depressing . Under a warm sun , with a cloudless sky , and flanked by the orange and the myrtle , in some quiet city of the past , it might arrest and keep entranced the lazily artistic eye of the pleased traveller ; but for northern London and its bustling public offices , this conception palpably lacks nerve and sinew . John Prichard ( 1818–86 ) and his partner John Pollard Seddon entered all parts of the competition with eighteen drawings . Their office blocks appear to have been symmetrical and , as The Saturday remarked , based on the architecture of fourteenth - century Flemish Town Halls ; ' very picturesque and well massed up , albeit a little slight in parts , particularly the towers ' .
Idiom: out of pocket (used idiomatically: yes)
It was almost 10 pm and the winter wind was freezing cold . I shrank back into the shadows of the alley and saw people passing by on the sidewalk . I pulled the switchblade out of my pocket and pressed the button . The blade snapped open with a soft click . I pressed the tip against the palm of my hand .
Idiom: come to terms with (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ They are both over the moon . It has been sheer delight for them . I do n't think the father can come to terms with it . He has n't touched base since the birth,’ said Dr Newell . He told a news conference : ‘ I am very happy with their progress so far and I think they will continue to do well over the next few days .
Idiom: head south (used idiomatically: yes)
The A six six five eight if you look at the the bottom of the two roads , it 's the one on the left which is going on down off the plan . The A six five eight to Leeds . The A sixty one is is heading due south . Yeah this is the one that goes down to Poole is n't it . Yes that 's right .
Idiom: word of mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
In fact two thousand leaflets were sent out so we actually tried quite hard but we , we did exclude some of the people who should have been leafleted . That was n't though the only form of public address that was given . The m public consultation meetings and the exhibition were advertised in the local press and I believe on the radio as well , so word of mouth I think in , in the event did overcome that but I can understand people 's feeling that they were excluded and it was not deliberate , it was an oversight . So I 'm sorry about that . Just to be clear , the , we talked here about er the funding and the , the need not to , to let this muddy the this committee 's own highway programme and I think we we 're aware of that .
Idiom: do the trick (used idiomatically: yes)
The civil servants watched with barely concealed glee as the ruling party became embarrassed when the North Koreans demanded compensation not only for Japan 's colonial rule but also for all the years since . Mr Kanemaru 's reputation took a dive from which it has not recovered . The party is hoping that , this time , the $ 26 billion bribe is big enough to do the trick . After all , Louisiana went for Dollars15 m and Alaska fetched only $ 7.2 m — about 2 cents an acre . Pakistan
Idiom: go overboard (used idiomatically: no)
The teens and twenties are always a time for questioning , evaluating , making up your own mind , finding your own sense of person . Eva Burrows had a particularly forceful person with whom to come to terms . It was n't that she went completely overboard , or examined her faith critically . She just let it lapse . There were too many other things to explore and discover .
Idiom: at death's door (used idiomatically: yes)
It did rather stretch But erm my credulity when she wandered over the Moors and she was at death 's door , and she turned up at her cousins ' Well hou house .
Idiom: break ranks (used idiomatically: yes)
With a gasp of pleasure , impressed with this firm evidence of Dickensian times , the crowd moved forward to inspect the relics . In one lightning movement the two fishermen picked up two pails of stinking fish heads and flung them lovingly at the Lionisers ' feet . Fifty - two grateful seagulls swooped , breaking up the ranks amid cries and squeals of distress . ' Ah , ' remarked William again . They resumed their seats as the Lionisers retreated .
Idiom: in the club (used idiomatically: yes)
In the 1911 edition the following solution was reported : ' At the Special General Meeting held on Nov. 14th , the first resolution proposed by the committee as the outcome of the deliberations of the Commission on the Status of Lady Members , was accepted ; this restored ladies to the position which they occupied before November 9th 1910 , as a first step towards reconsideration of the question . A second resolution resolved that the commission be requested to settle the question of the status of ladies in the Club and that the Club should accept and abide by their decision . It is eminently satisfactory to record that these resolutions were adopted without discussion or dissent and that this source of controversy has been stopped . ' snow viz
Idiom: high and mighty (used idiomatically: yes)
It must entail a massive shift in power from the centre to the periphery , from so called representative to direct democracy . It must be about ordinary people taking control of our own lives . For the high and mighty only appear so because we are on our knees . It is time we voted for ourselves for a change . Let it be a real change .
Idiom: in the works (used idiomatically: yes)
Maintain a proper balance between the interests of employer or proprietor and customers , clients and suppliers . The principles of good professional practice HCIMA members must accept the responsibilities and obligations implicit in their work . In respect of themselves and others with whom they interact in the course of their professional life , they should seek to maintain and promote the following standards : a
Idiom: nine times out of ten (used idiomatically: yes)
It 's just body work Well the engine erm between cars Yeah , the got to actually change the starter motor erm I mean on the A D fifties and the two litre they I would sort of , its only a hundred and fifty cc , but the next biggest thing they did was stopping er , a sixteen hundred so quite a lot of those , but nine times out of ten all they did was another part , so I , I , actually heard that the R S two thousand were , were quite reliable out of most of the sports car , but they did , did have to buy a they were quite expensive , same as top of the range car and their , their top of the range of car was parts of them , especially if they , they , they stopped making them in Same as a Herald
Idiom: catch fire (used idiomatically: yes)
Everything was silent except for the storm outside . ‘ The lamp!’ thought Moore desperately . Fortunately it was a metal one , and the oil had not caught fire . However , he had to put it out . In doing so , he forgot his fears for a moment .
Idiom: over the counter (used idiomatically: no)
The slide - on safety cover is a good idea . ' Rating * * * * OVER THE COUNTER Summer lip shades Strong lipstick shades are not only difficult to apply , but they can look overpowering , especially on sun - kissed skin .
Idiom: in the soup (used idiomatically: yes)
Cooking time : 20–25 mins . Serves 4 15ml ( 1 tbs ) vegetable oil 575 g ( 1¼ lb ) boneless chicken breast , skinned and cut into 2.5 cm ( 1 in ) cubes 295 g ( 10.4 oz ) can Campbell 's Condensed Mushroom & Peppers soup 300ml ( ½ pt ) milk 45–60ml ( 3–4tbs ) dry sherry ( optional ) salt and pepper Heat oil in a large frying pan and fry chicken for 5 mins or until lightly browned . Stir in soup , milk and sherry . Simmer gently for 15–20 mins or until tender , stirring occasionally . Season to taste , serve over freshly boiled rice .
Idiom: out of order (used idiomatically: yes)
clean your hair for you now ? Yeah , he 's got mousse on him Yeah I had to come to erm so I thought erm , I tried to ring you yesterday , your phone was out of order . Well , she 's having a new one put on . Why we was paying the bill actually we paid to Sunday us connect us the following Friday
Idiom: left and right (used idiomatically: no)
The square - to - square method put me in bed for a fortnight . It 's late , I know , but Alan Fine might have come up with the answer . In his book Mind Over Golf ( BBC Books , £ 8.99 ) , he deals with the mental side of the game and features the left and right brains , which is news to those limping along with one . The ‘ left - brainers’— those dominated by the left hemisphere — are neat , organised and conscientious . The ‘ right - brainers’ are free spirits , imaginative and creative .
Idiom: take the bull by the horns (used idiomatically: yes)
As a County Council we have a commitment to reduce the amount of waste produced in the County , the building waste which includes spoil and rubble , forms around fifty per cent of the total waste production . Far more than household waste which forms about twenty five per cent of the total and therefore I feel that we can make an enormous contribution to the improvement of our environment by the establishments of sites for the collection for the sorting and resale of the building materials . I do realize that there are problems in finding suitable sites and that possibly that costs would be involved in setting them up , but for the reasons I 've outlined we should take the bull by the horns and make an effort to find sites and budget for the costs involved so the benefits can be felt as soon as possible . On to the matter of composting garden waste , then the waste disposal off to landfill from household rescue could be reduced by about twenty five per cent if garden waste was separate County Council refuse site and composted . As this is an item which people would to a household refuse , waste site already , the problem of generating does not apply to this waste either .
Idiom: under the weather (used idiomatically: yes)
Perhaps my most memorable day occurred with Paul on our ascent of Kichik Kumdan . With John Neil we had ventured to the head of a glacier , on the west side of Chong Kumdan , to prospect a possible route . It was too early in the trip for a serious attempt and all of us were decidedly under the weather . Paul and I , believing an extra night at this altitude would prove beneficial in the long run , elected to stay while the others went down . At fractionally under 22,000 ft the subsidiary summit of CK1 looked like a walk .
Idiom: wipe the floor with (used idiomatically: yes)
There was a computer , let 's call him Mac . Alongside Mac worked an organic interface unit , let 's call him Ed . In general Mac and Ed amicably agreed to differ , but in the October FlyPast ( p58)Mac succeeded in wiping the floor with Ed . With apologies to readers all over the glove ( and especially the innocent contributors ! ) herewith the real version ! : Airship museum
Idiom: walk of life (used idiomatically: yes)
I gather you gentlemen have written a book ‘ Microprocessor Fundamentals’ . Is this a book that could be read , as it were , by the layman at all , or is it a complicated technical book . It arose , actually , the book , from a course in fact erm for current practicising engineers that we ran here at Sussex and indeed are still running , and engineers from many walks of life , different sort of areas of interest , have attended and I think found a lot of benefit from attending the course , so suppose it 's aim primarily was someone with a background knowledge of engineering in its broadest sense , but Probably the ideal candidate for reading our book would be someone who would perhaps be involved in the manufacturer of erm products and , having recognised that washing machines are involved with microprocessors , are anxious to see if they can get any insight into the role that microprocessors can play And the design of the product .
Idiom: all the rage (used idiomatically: yes)
And Alasitas money faithfully imitated these changes . There are other ways in which Alasitas customs mark changes in social habits . For example , as the population becomes more mobile , miniature ID cards are no longer enough — passports are all the rage , especially since the immigration office ran out of the real thing . Or , in compliance with the Government 's aggressive tax drive , model houses and cars are now accompanied by the correct documents . Children , naturally , have a field day , storing treasures in tiny suitcases and deciding between wide , native skirts or Barbie - style gear for their dolls .