Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: hold the line (used idiomatically: yes)
Labour governments have been able virtually to ignore the demands of the left without provoking massive popular protest ( albeit at a cost of running down the party 's membership and activist support ) while the Heath government found that its tough anti - union stance , however much in accord with‘public opinion’ , was unworkable , with the electorate recoiling from its practical consequences . In a word , governments have made themselves unpopular with their manifold ‘ failures’ , those failures are traceable to their basic failure to restructure the social relations of British capitalism , and yet there has been no social force with the ‘ will’ and capacity to enforce any radical restructuring against the opposition which any such move must encounter . There has been a kind of stalemate in the class struggle which has placed governments in the position of tackling deep - rooted problems with technocratic instruments of strictly limited effectiveness : they have held the line on the balance of payments by means of periodic deflation , which has not really solved anything ; they have periodically checked inflation and attempted to rebuild industrial profitability by means of ad hoc incomes policy but have been unable either to maintain popular support for such policies or to push forward to a comprehensive planning of prices and incomes , investment and consumption . Against this background , the magnitude of the political problem facing the socialist project becomes apparent . In chapter 5 I outlined some of the major objectives which seemed feasible given the constraints and opportunities posed by the development of capitalist property relations , under the two headings of investment planning and enterprise democracy , recognising the importance of a ‘ left government’ in relation to these while admitting that the conditions of formation of such a government were another matter .
Idiom: have a few (used idiomatically: yes)
Peter : Yes he has indeed he delivered , he did away with the autocue , he leaned forward , he did n't want a barrier between himself and his adoring party faithful they were adoring it was rather like the last night at the Prom , I can tell you . He waved bnits of paper , the oldest trick in the book , props . He still has a still has a few technical problems with his speeches , his voice is very thin , he falls away at the end of sentences and when he rises to a crescendo his voice is like the distance whine of an aeroplane engine but what he said was exactly what they wanted to hear a return to family life and strong law and order . Anne : he had a long way to go do you think he 's done enough to survive ? Peter : What he 's done today is buy himself a little time , his troubles are n't over , Mrs Thatcher still casts her shadow over this conference he still has problems inside and outside the cabinet but he has bought some time .
Idiom: sell like hot cakes (used idiomatically: yes)
In an eerie reversal of the situation in the North American market , Oracle 's next biggest competitor is n't the plucky standards - hot Sybase but virtually legacy operation Ingres , currently owned by ASK Group . Sybase has done very well in financial markets and companies in Wall Street and the City , mostly because for a long time it could offer facilities such as triggers and stored procedures that Oracle could n't . Outside of the Square Mile , it 's practically invisible in the UK rdbms market , where Oracle runs unchecked , Ingres still does well on the back of its ICL agreement into local and central government , and Informix , while selling like hot cakes , still mostly shifts its C - ISAM and Standard engines , not the high ticket OnLine . Changing that is partly the job of recently headhunted former Oracle staffer John Spiers , now marketing director for Northern Europe . He 's got a lot to do .
Idiom: catch fire (used idiomatically: yes)
The pan suddenly caught fire while I was frying some strips of bacon yesterday .
Idiom: under the sun (used idiomatically: yes)
A taste of it all — countryside , lakes , city sights and sun traps 2 & 3 Centres There is always something new to discover under the Italian sun , and the Citalia range of Two and Three Centre Holidays is no exception . A chance to mix and match the very best of Italy 's treasures . Combine the great cities of Rome , Florence and Venice with each other , or with a resort on the Neapolitan Riviera or the rolling rural countryside of Tuscany and Umbria .
Idiom: in the long run (used idiomatically: yes)
The crowning absurdity of the rich countries ' current thinking on aid is not , however , their preference for lots of tied aid to not - terribly - poor countries , but their fondness for combining big cheques with barriers to trade . Both preferences reflect the power of domestic producer interests , whose aim is not to spur development abroad but to sell exports and block imports . In the long run the West could help Russia and Eastern Europe more by opening its markets to their produce than by handing over cash — and would immediately make itself a lot better off in the process ( see page 50 ) . But governments would rather plunder their taxpayers — then , turning to the cameras , acknowledge the applause for their vision and self - sacrifice . LETTERS
Idiom: once and for all (used idiomatically: yes)
He knew that Grainne was gentle and strong and sensitive ; he knew this as if it was something he had been born knowing ; even so , he found himself remembering that the Wolfline were said to have old enchantments in their blood , and that the old enchantments were tinged with the dark sinister magic of the first sorcerers , and that the descendants of those long - ago Wolfkings could still spin their own bewitchments and weave their own spells . And , Is this what you have done , Lady ? he thought . Have you summoned the ancient golden strength , to bind me to you once and for all time ? He thought he would not care if she had in truth done so , although he knew it to have been unnecessary . But as he walked at her side through the dark halls of the Grail Castle , he remembered , and wished not to remember , that she might well have within her the strange power that could awaken all manner of sleeping bewitchments and lost enchantments .
Idiom: rise to the occasion (used idiomatically: yes)
Charles had been given a view of the plans some months before and had been appalled . ‘ I must confess I was deeply depressed,’ he said later . ‘ It did n't seem to rise to the occasion . This site is next to our great national cathedral — the very heart of the capital city . What place in Britain could be more important ?
Idiom: for my money (used idiomatically: yes)
The quality of the build shows that some care has been taken in its assembly — for instance , where at all possible , input and output ports have been mounted on the case rather than taking up usable expansion slot space . Everything falls neatly to hand , and all switches and indicators are clearly marked . The reset switch is a little large for my money , but , being well labelled , it is unlikely that accidental resets would dog its user . Performance You can see the PC - ometer ratings here , so let 's interpret them , shall we ? CPU : with a CPU performance rating of 111.45 , this machine is at the top end of the performance scales .
Idiom: by the book (used idiomatically: yes)
Extending the idea of ' reading ' beyond print This book is mainly concerned with obtaining meaning from the printed and pictorial material in books , but it would be a mistake to disregard the other common media of indirect experience . Young people 's needs for information , understanding , and entertainment are not only met by books but also by television programmes , by cinema films , and by recorded sound . If we are concerned with obtaining meaning from symbols and images , it follows that we should be concerned with this wide range of media . Indeed , there is a whole range of ' reading ' that is more basic than that already considered and that is crucially important in human lives .
Idiom: lay an egg (used idiomatically: yes)
9 . REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM . Female birds have a single ovary and they lay calcareous ( hard shelled ) eggs . Birds also have a complicated system of courtship . 10 .
Idiom: by the book (used idiomatically: yes)
Marie asks one of the old women if she can use the changing room , and she shows her where it is . I have a look round the shop while Marie gets changed . There 's a nice china dog on the side by some books , but I do n't go over and have a look . Normally I would , but I just do n't want to move . I can feel this happy feeling bubbling in my tummy .
Idiom: blow a gasket (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I hear the English faculty has been on to Humphrey already,’ he volunteered . ‘ They 're in a flap over who 's going to take Hugh 's lectures if he does n't show up . Prof . Wylie told Humphrey he 'd have to renew Theo 's fellowship — ca n't lose two senior lecturers at once , you know — and Humphrey just about blew a gasket . That 's why Humphrey 's not at lunch . He 's sulking in his rooms.’
Idiom: on board (used idiomatically: yes)
The Offset again makes use of a slimmed - down , solid alder body , with some fairly pronounced ribcage contouring . A very basic but functional bridge is secured to the body by four rather insubstantial - looking screws . J and P pickups again , this time ‘ Dana’ models , three rotaries and a three - way toggle switch to control the on - board DSR6 Bass Harmonic Enhancer . The 24-fret neck , this time bolted on by four individually countersunk screws and collars , also uses Canadian maple for construction , topped off with a rosewood fingerboard and those unusual ‘ white - line’ block markers . The gently raked - back pointy - esque headstock is again scarfed on between the nut and the first machine .
Idiom: save the day (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I was absolutely staggered to see the attendant still asking people for the fee,’ said one female motorist . ‘ People were trying to get out of carpark and away from the town and this man was still insisting he got his 20 pence from every driver.’ But a policeman saved the day and told the attendant to forget about the money and let the cars get out . Giving credit where it 's due WITH reference to the article carried by your paper on Sunday 2nd May , relating to the ‘ Count the Cost’ exhibition and meeting at Craigavon Lakes on bank Holiday Monday 3rd May :
Idiom: spit it out (used idiomatically: yes)
I said no no eating ! Sorry miss . I 'll spit it out straight away . I swear to God . Do I have to say it twice ?
Idiom: crystal clear (used idiomatically: yes)
It 's your house ! You ca n't let him get away with it ! You 've got to make that crystal clear!’ said the soprano voice . Agnes never took part in such conversations ; she never spoke badly of Paul , even though she sensed that this alienated her somewhat from other women . She turned her head in the direction of the alto : a young woman with light hair and the face of an angel .
Idiom: rise from the ashes (used idiomatically: yes)
He 's obviously an unfortunate athlete like Steve Cram , but the one thing I do know is that he is the best friend any vet could have ! I keep telling John MacEwen that he 's built half his practice on Phoenix Park ! ’ Hopefully , like the Phoenix , Arthur will rise from the ashes of his latest misfortunes and regain his form at the top of the show - jumping tree . Carolyn 's Diary warts and all ! In seven months Skipper , the four - year - old whose progress we have been following , has learned an awful lot .
Idiom: cut no ice (used idiomatically: yes)
The hour - long debate on Europe brought criticism of the party 's election campaign and of Edward Heath , the former prime minister . Harriet Crawley , London Central Euro constituency , said the campaign had been negative and the advertising ‘ dismal and downhearted’ . ‘ That gloom and doom cut no ice with Conservative voters . They stayed away,’ she told representatives . The party lost 13 seats in the European Parliament .
Idiom: in the bag (used idiomatically: yes)
Well I do n't know why you I do n't know why you want to bother . ? Where 's the car keys ? Erm I do n't know in my bag . He has them . here ?
Idiom: take it easy (used idiomatically: yes)
As soon as Stella had finished on stage Bunny told her to go home . For the time being she was excused from her prop - room duties and she need n't wait for the curtain call . She must take it easy for the next few days . ‘ I 'm perfectly all right,’ she grumbled . ‘ It was only a rotten old boil.’
Idiom: above board (used idiomatically: no)
And if you 're tiling right round a room , inaccurate levels will mean your rows do n't match up at the start and finish point . Secondly , the tiles need some support while the adhesive sets ; without it , the whole tiles area could slump down the wall . What you do is to fix a line of battens across the wall ( or right round the room ) just above skirting board level , securing them with partly-driven masonry nails so you can remove them later when the adhesive has set . The precise level will be dictated by your setting-out with the tiling gauge , but will usually be between half and three-quarters of a tile width above the skirting board . Do n't rely on this being level ; it probably wo n't be .
Idiom: come to grips with (used idiomatically: yes)
Consequently , critical theory … becomes purely defensive … [ It]brilliantly captures the Cold War period , the plastic 50s and in general the post - New Deal American society which was rapidly hegemonising most of the world . It was unable , however , to foresee or come to grips with what Habermas in Legitimation Crisis calls the rationality or planning crisis ( Arato and Gebhardt 1978 : xviii - xx ) — that is , with the fact that , from the 1950s on , the dominant interests needed , in order to ensure their continued hegemony , to permit a certain amount of ‘ free space’ within the rationalized structures for relatively unplanned ‘ opposition’ . This space , intended both to obtain the invention of new products , leading to enhanced consumption and profit , and to maintain ideological support , in response to apparent liberalism , allows at least the possibility that permitted pluralism can grow into radical dissent .
Idiom: have a ball (used idiomatically: no)
‘ All we need is two good halves , ’ O'Leary says . ‘ We 're very confident of winning . London run the ball so I should have lots of opportunities . ‘ Being in the same side as people like Rob Andrew can only do me good . Playing in this competition has been a great springboard for me . ’
Idiom: have a ball (used idiomatically: no)
Campo at war WILL CARLING and David Campese , the two highest - profile players in world rugby , continued their off - field sniping before tomorrow 's clash between the Barbarians and Australia at Twickenham . Campese — having a ball at training yesterday with an inflatable — said : ‘ Will 's a very good player . England have some excellent backs . If they could get it together they 'd be a much better team.’
Idiom: first come, first served (used idiomatically: yes)
WIMBLEDON have put top players Warren Barton , Robbie Earle and John Scales up for auction in a desperate bid to raise £2 million by the New Year . That 's how much the hard-up south Londoners need to maintain their cashflow , and they expect Liverpool , Blackburn and Leeds to lead the bidding . All three players could fetch the required £2m , so it could be a case of first come , first served , with Barton the favourite to go . The Dons have already offered him to Leeds , who are desperate for a right-back to solve their defensive problems . Arsenal and Blackburn , who also admire Earle , will watch any developments , while Liverpool were in touch with Wimbledon the minute the three players went on the open market .
Idiom: not to put too fine a point on it (used idiomatically: yes)
The atmosphere relaxed on the surface , taut as a bow - string beneath it , they sat sipping brandy , until Luce remarked , ' This house must be very old . ' ' It once belonged to the Lion of Venice . Not to put too fine a point on it , this was his love - nest where he used to bring Lucia . ' ' Oh ? ' Luce leaned forward , intrigued .
Idiom: on the level (used idiomatically: yes)
Since each local authority knows the law and CIPFA 's recommendations , it is hard to see the Code 's purpose . In the light of this difficulty , perhaps we need to speculate on the Code 's purpose in a wider , policy - making context . In recent years , in the context of ever - tightening controls on local authorities by Government ( culminating in the radical imposition of rate - capping , i.e. putting an absolute limit on rate levels ) , many authorities adopted what was dubbed ' creative accountancy ' . Slogans such as this are , by their nature , difficult to explain . In the private sector context , the phrase tends to be used pejoratively .
Idiom: at the end of the day (used idiomatically: yes)
This last point raises a fundamental question about the nature and function of standing rules . There is a sense in which standing is a preliminary question , separate from that of the substance and merits of the applicant 's case : standing rules determine entitlement to raise and argue the issue of illegality , and it makes little sense to say that entitlement to argue the merits of the case depends on whether one has a good case on the merits . Only if the chance of failure at the end of the day approaches certainty should the likely outcome affect the question of access to the court . But this argument assumes that there is some value in separating the issue of entitlement to apply for judicial review from the question of entitlement to a remedy at the end of the day . A counter - argument might be that standing rules are just one mechanism for weeding out hopeless or frivolous cases at an early stage and protecting government bodies ( rightly or wrongly ) from harassment by ‘ professional litigants’(who else would expend the time and resources necessary to mount a hopeless case ? ) meddling in matters which do not really concern them .
Idiom: in the long run (used idiomatically: yes)
And nothing has attenuated the tensions between Israel and both Syria and Lebanon . History teaches that diplomacy all too frequently produces results only when backed by overwhelming power . Such was the existentialist worldview of US President and Nobel ~ Peace ~ Prize laureate Theodore ~ Roosevelt , a major advocate of American expansionism : “ A just war is , in the long run , far better for a man ’s soul than the most prosperous peace . ” A century later , another American president , Barack ~ Obama , immersed in two hopeless wars in the Middle ~ East , received his Nobel ~ Peace ~ Prize with an apology for “ just wars . ” Indeed , the list of Nobel ~ Peace ~ Prize laureates is not lacking in men – Roosevelt , George ~ Marshall , Menachem Begin , Anwar ~ Sadat , Yitzhak ~ Rabin , Yasser ~ Arafat , and Henry Kissinger – who either ended up recognizing the limits of military power or were simply following Clausewitz ’s dictum that war is the continuation of politics by other means .
Idiom: short shrift (used idiomatically: no)
His evangelicalism was not extreme ; it lay within the limits of Anglican tolerance . But his hopes of superseding the liturgy with any such matter were doomed to failure . He completely misjudged the question , and his translation was ignored by churchmen as well as by the editor of the influential Monthly Review , who had been irritated by Smart 's angry response to earlier criticism , and dismissed it with short shrift . Smart 's claims that he had the support in this enterprise of ‘ many of the Bishops and other dignified Clergymen’ seems to have been completely unrealistic . The work of translation itself , quite apart from his grand conception of his purpose in undertaking it , must have afforded him some solace .
Idiom: come to terms with (used idiomatically: yes)
We conducted an investigation into the accident and are satisfied the officers behaved correctly . Voice over Tonight as the family of Mark Windram come to terms with his death police officers have again warned those who steal cars that their actions all too often end in tragedy . At another inquest , a jury has decided that a man who was scalded to death in a bath at an old people 's home was the victim of an accident . The home has since taken action to ensure that such an accident does n't happen again .
Idiom: in someone's pocket (used idiomatically: no)
Still using the flashlight , he perched the case on his desk , took out his key ring , used the two keys which unlocked the specially reinforced bottom right - hand drawer . Reaching down , he delved beneath three code books , hauled out the six passports with his photograph — minus glasses — and all in different names . He chose the passport with the name William Sanders , thrust it in his breast pocket . The other five he spread out flat at the bottom of the executive case . He re - locked the drawer , stood up , and that was when someone switched on the main light .
Idiom: on the money (used idiomatically: no)
There is no new Keynes . Rather , the challenge is exclusively — but dangerously — political . Thatcherism was supposed to operate on the money supply and the productive side of the economy to produce low inflation and a high and sustainable rate of economic growth . Inflation is down but the problem for the Tories is that unemployment is up , business failures are up , house repossessions are up , interest rates are high and economic growth is non - existent . Conservative ideas delivered the goods in the 1980s .
Idiom: in someone's pocket (used idiomatically: yes)
One day he 'd forget , I was sure , but not today . After I had finished my meal and done the washing - up , I went to my room , checked the home - brew and got my air - rifle . I made sure I had sufficient pellets in my jacket pockets , then headed out of the house for the Rabbit Grounds on the mainland , between the large branch of the creek and the town dump . I do n't like using the gun ; it 's almost too accurate for me . The catapult is an Inside thing , requiring that you and it are one .
Idiom: word of mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
That false report was falsely attributed to The Economist in order , we are flattered to suppose , to give it a wholly undeserved credibility . How can such fictions flourish in a country with the freest press in the Arab world ? Well , since barely half the population can read or write , many people still rely entirely on that notoriously unreliable medium , word of mouth . Few of those who can read actually believe what is said even in the more responsible newspapers ; like many Middle Easterners they prefer the racy , outlandish explanation . Egypt 's laws of libel are weak and journalistic standards low .
Idiom: put two and two together (used idiomatically: yes)
The crammed loose boxes to his right seemed more menacing , as though the ugliest objects had been banished to this unvisited dungeon . Mungo imagined them including instruments of torture , unnamed specimens in bottles , and vicious animal traps like the ones on Vic 's wall . Would the magician have put two and two together yet , Mungo wondered ? If so , what would he do about it ? Beginning to wish he had never come , Mungo stood on the threshold of the last door .
Idiom: nothing doing (used idiomatically: yes)
totally out the window ? Yeah , but she 's not working at the moment . Er , she says that she 's er , there 's absolutely nothing doing just at the moment , erm , but she says that she never knows the time when she will be called upon to you know , be asked to do a trip , but Mhm . really right in the middle of winter and there 's really nothing much doing .