Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: hold court (used idiomatically: yes)
Now in the early thirties this was too much for the troops to take , so they took their problem to Shaw who then went to the NAAFI and bought all the cups for a penny . When the NAAFI ran out of cups , the old dear was at her wits end and sent for the orderly corporal , who in turn sent for the orderly sergeant . He also realised that this was a situation far beyond his metier and summoned the duty staff officer , who arrived resplendent in full ceremonials , pantaloons , highly polished knee - length riding boots , and regulation yellow walking stick , and visited Shaw in his billet and confronted him in a corner , where he held court . After a short and unequal debate , Shaw conceded the surrender of the cups , provided the NAAFI no longer charged a penny deposit on a penny cup of tea , and West Canip , Cranwell , returned to its normal tranquillity . The other story I recall to mind about this time is that Cranwell in those days must have been the coldest spot south of the Arctic Circle and the ration of coal to fire the single stove in a billet of 22 erks took little account of the temporary hutment , Some genius had laid down that the ration of coal would he 1 lb of coal every other day was sufficient to ward off armies of brass monkeys that descended on Cranwell in winter .
Idiom: fun and games (used idiomatically: yes)
Up to their old tricks TOKYO ANYONE who thought that naughty fun - and - games in the Japanese stockmarket had ended with the wave of securities scandals two years ago needs to think again . The arrest on May 13th of Mitsuhiro Yanagitani , formerly branch manager for Daiwa Securities at Kunitachi , in west Tokyo , and Ueki Kenjiro , of its Nagoya branch , makes it clear that they have not . Some executives may resign at a Daiwa board meeting that is due to be held on May 18th .
Idiom: make a virtue of necessity (used idiomatically: yes)
No doubt they hoped that their pleas and arguments would receive attention . They were also hoping by these means to avoid causing resentment at infringement of separate national sovereignties which would be a possible result if they enlisted the aid of the British government . But since response from ministers by the 1840s was extremely circumspect the reformers were probably making a virtue of necessity . They rarely succeeded in making an antislavery question into a diplomatic issue , though they occasionally tried to exploit an existing issue for antislavery purposes . After 1838 , therefore , neither ‘ agitation’ nor ‘ influence’either separately or together provided very powerful instruments for achieving antislavery ends .
Idiom: foot the bill (used idiomatically: yes)
A number of motorists have found to their cost that the spills are sometimes more substantial.’ PROPOSAL FOR FREE WASTE COLLECTION QUESTIONED THOUSANDS of ratepayers across Ards could be left to foot the bill if a controversial council proposal to introduce a free waste collection for Orange halls goes ahead , the Department of the Environment has warned . The warning came after a meeting of Ards Borough Council last week in which Ulster Unionist Ronnie Ferguson put forward a motion that the council should offer free collection of waste to the Orange Order , which has halls dotted all over the borough . But , while outlining the grounds for imposing a charge for waste collection , a spokesperson for the DoE insisted such a decision could not be taken lightly .
Idiom: turn the corner (used idiomatically: yes)
Did it ? Where ? At in we 'd just turned round the corner and it conked out . Oh ! But we got it started again .
Idiom: meet someone halfway (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ No particular reason , just idle curiosity . Oh , Hilly , am I so very hard to talk to ? Your clothes wo n't be dry for a while yet ; ca n't you at least meet me halfway?’ Flushing guiltily , she gave a quiet apology . ‘ I 'm sorry , I think I 've rather got out of the habit of talking to people.’
Idiom: rock bottom (used idiomatically: yes)
Though since Cara was a professional to her fingertips she supposed that she would . She would n't have upset him by taking his dog for a walk , that was for sure . With her spirits at rock bottom , Fabia got ready for bed . Ven was once more in her head , though , when she climbed into bed and yearned for sleep . Around two in the morning she was just nodding off when suddenly her telephone rang again .
Idiom: take the wind out of someone's sails (used idiomatically: yes)
I guess I 'm not really used to this sort of thing any more.’ ‘ What sort of thing — talking to a woman after you 've spent a weekend in bed with her?’ ‘ Yes,’ he said frankly , and it took the wind out of her sails . ‘ What do you do?’ she asked in horror . ‘ Just walk away?’
Idiom: by the back door (used idiomatically: yes)
Privatisation used to be a badge of honour worn with pride by these Ministers . Now Ministers utter the word only in order to deny that it has happened . But the truth is that HMI is to be privatised by the back door because the half of HMI who will not be employed by it will have to go and set up as private consultants . The local inspectorate is to be privatised . As the documents make clear , many of these so - called inspectors will not be educationally qualified but will be drawn , in the senior chief inspector 's words , from the top of the Clapham omnibus .
Idiom: for good measure (used idiomatically: yes)
I did as I was told . The ‘ special’ turned out to be a cartwheel - sized pizza like a slice of the earth 's crust , its five feet of rim volcanically erupting . On top of it there were all the fruits of the forest , the animals of the plain , and a few of the beasts of the sea for good measure . Everything was enmired in thick globs of mozzarella cheese . The Fat Controller ate three of these and I did my best to tackle the fourth .
Idiom: in business (used idiomatically: no)
The company said fourth quarter orders were up 20 % to a record $ 4,420 m and highlighted excellent order growth for printers and mass - storage products . It also said HP - UX multi - user computers , test - and - measurement products and medical equipment had good increases over last year , and even personal computers and components had very good order levels . In turnover terms , with $ 16,400 m for the year , the company sailed past Digital Equipment Corp with about $ 2,000 m more in annual business — but a significant proportion of its total is not computer - related , whereas DEC is a 100 % computer company . NOVELL BARS USE OF NETWARE CODE IN NEW WINDOWS PRODUCTS Novell Inc has intensified its dispute with Microsoft Corp over use of its requester technology in Windows for Workgroups and has invoked a clause in its technology - swapping agreement that bars Microsoft from shipping NetWare code in future Windows products , PC Week reports .
Idiom: pull strings (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Do you remember when we wanted to get Gawain into Almeira Road school , and we could n't , because all the middle - class parents in s.w.23 were trying to get their kids into Almeira Road , and we live just over the zoning boundary ? Well , do you honestly think the answer would have been the same if I 'd been Norman Ward Westerman or Lord Boddy?’ ‘ You mean you 'd have been able to pull strings?’ said Bob . ‘ I should n't have pulled strings — other people would have pulled them for me ! ‘ If we had Lord Boddy in the Parent - Teacher Association,’ they 'd think , ‘ we might have a little influence at County Hall.’
Idiom: fall short (used idiomatically: yes)
It is the world ’s largest exporter in volume terms , and is the world ’s second - largest economy . China ’s presence is felt around the world , from mines in Africa to Apple stores in the United ~ States . As we reflect on China ’s remarkable progress since 1972 , it is also an opportune time to consider how China continues to fall short in overcoming systemic obstacles to long - term success . Because China is widely regarded as a winner of globalization , it is natural to assume that the country has developed the means to meet its challenges . But , while China has implemented policies to maximize the benefits of free trade ( undervaluing its currency , investing in infrastructure , and luring foreign manufacturing to increase competitiveness ) , the country remains unprepared for deeper integration with the world .
Idiom: rub shoulders (used idiomatically: yes)
It 's not every new art gallery that gets a royal send off , but then again not many are as special as this one . There are lots of charity shops in the High Street , but this is the first time such a venture has been launched in the art world of London . Macintyre from Milton Keynes has decided to rub shoulders to challenge the professionals at showing off and hopefully selling off high class quality work . Everything in its new gallery has been made carved painted by mentally disabled people . Liz Clifton the gallery organiser says the work is very skilled and they 've looked all over the country to find things .
Idiom: in the hole (used idiomatically: yes)
Once upon a time , say until the late 1960s , advertising and public relations were skills that called for good writing ability , a flair for commerce , art talents , a large degree of personal charm and verbal fluency , and a sociable nature . To some extent advertising was something of a gentleman 's game . As for public relations , who could dislike for long the public relations man with his gin and tonic in hand , carnation in his button - hole , and soothing , helpful words ? All that has long since changed and , while talent can still win the day , both fields are down to the hard graft of making money . The leading — and final — question nowadays is always about profits and commercial growth .
Idiom: make the cut (used idiomatically: yes)
In the modern US economy , the scheduled changes constitute more of a fiscal " slope " – meaning that the full effect of the tax increases would not be felt immediately ( income withholding takes time to adjust ) , while the spending cuts would also be phased in ( the government has some discretion regarding implementation ) . This slope offers President Barack ~ Obama a real opportunity to restore the federal government 's revenue base to what it was in the mid-1990 's . The choice of words to describe America 's fiscal situation matters , given the hysteria that has been whipped up in recent months , primarily by people who want to make big cuts in the country 's two main entitlement programs , Social ~ Security and Medicare . Their logic is that if we are about to rush off a cliff , we need to take extreme measures . And cutting pensions and health ~ care for the elderly certainly qualifies as extreme – as well as completely inappropriate and unnecessary .
Idiom: ring a bell (used idiomatically: yes)
They stopped outside Chestnut House . Looked at more closely , it needed a lot of renovation . Juliet rang the bell , and it echoed in the hall . A plump , dark - haired woman answered it , and when Juliet said who she was , she beamed at them . ' Come in , come in .
Idiom: out of sight (used idiomatically: yes)
( He was a scrounger par excellence . ) Against this we could warm our tiny frozen hands and boil a kettle to fill our hot water bottles . Rather apprehensively I let the other girls use it , on the strict understanding that when they had finished with it they unplugged it and stowed it away somewhere out of sight of our two gauleiters , hopefully after it had cooled down a bit . But of course I was always coming off - duty to find the thing burning away merrily in an empty hut . My guardian angel must have been working overtime as the hut never actually caught fire , and as far as I am aware neither of our overseers suspected that we were harbouring such a forbidden utensil in the Met Waafs ' hut .
Idiom: go without saying (used idiomatically: yes)
There may be an exception if the event causing the injury or damage could only be reasonably explained by assuming there had been negligence . This is known to lawyers as res ipsa loquitur , that is , " the thing speaks for itself " . If you are hit on the head by a pot of paint whilst walking under a ladder you would not be asked to show the precise act of negligence that caused the paint to fall ; it goes without saying that someone had been negligent . This is the exception , however , and normally the plaintiff must prove the negligent act or omission . Even if negligence is proved , the amount of damages awarded may be reduced if the plaintiff has contributed in a causal sense to the negligence .
Idiom: in tandem (used idiomatically: yes)
It will penetrate most pigments , with the exception of those that are carbon - based , underdrawings being in charcoal or carbon - based ink . It surpasses the use of infra - red photography in its clearer rendition of the various ' handwritings ' of panel preparation . In tandem with dendrochronology , the dating of wooden panels by tree - ring analysis ( the current leading expert in which is Peter Klein of Hamburg University ) , these new techniques have enabled scholars to attribute , place and date early paintings more accurately , though often new questions arise from their findings . Underdrawing analysis is , however , not always conclusive , nor indeed always possible . Curator Maryan Ainsworth of the Metropolitan Museum is quick to note that , ' The thorny problem of underdrawings and workshop practice in , for example , the works of Lucas Cranach and his circle is not easily resolved through underdrawing analysis , since in many cases , the picture was drawn in with a non - carbon substance , like iron - gall brown ink , that is not penetrated by infra - red , and is invisible on the reflectogram screens .
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
Any chariots may have scythed wheels at an additional cost of 20 points per chariot . One Orc boar chariot may carry a Magic Standard . This may be chosen from the appropriate magic item cards and its cost is indicated on the card itself ( see Warhammer Battle Magic ) . GOBLIN WOLF CHARIOTS 65 points per model If your army contains at least one Goblin Mob then it may include any number of Goblin wolf chariots .
Idiom: lead someone up the garden path (used idiomatically: yes)
Which she would n't , she realised , if she did n't buck her ideas up and play this according to Mr Naylor I - hold - all - the - aces Massingham . ' It sounds very nice . ' She smiled , and did n't care a bit then that when it came to leading Travis up the garden path , she was doing a little garden path trail - blazing herself . Thank goodness she 'd thought to get Naylor 's word about her job . ' I 'll leave you to your lasagne , ' Travis was saying as she tuned back in .
Idiom: have it both ways (used idiomatically: yes)
On the one hand he had said that he was forgotten , so why mention him ? On the other , that he was not forgotten - that there were pockets of admirers who still cherished his books throughout the long years when they were out of print . He could n't have it both ways . And as far as Greg could judge there were a great many writers who had found a place in the book who were quite as obscure or more so — poets whose flame had died with the end of the war , one - off playwrights whose experimental verse dramas had caused no more than a ripple of interest even in their own time . Why then omit to mention Walter ?
Idiom: across the board (used idiomatically: yes)
We at Halpern and Woolf believe the recession has been with us for some months already ; the C B I takes the same view and they 're pressing for interest rate reductions now to restore business confidence . The recession really has crept up on us and it 's strangling companies and businesses at quite a frightening rate . Are we talking about just small businesses or is it happening across the board ? It 's happening principally with the small and medium size businesses because they 're the first to suffer . They suffer principally because the companies whom they are supplying tend to take extended credit in paying their bills , er so that their problems are not entirely of their own making .
Idiom: with a view to (used idiomatically: yes)
Evidence Despite this , Elliott is happy to supply video evidence to prove he was the victim of an alleged two - footed challenge . His solicitor , John Stitt , confirmed : ‘ We are acting on behalf of Mr Paul Elliott with a view to a potential claim against Liverpool and Dean Saunders in relation to an injury sustained by our client . ‘ It was a serious injury which may affect his career . We have taken preliminary steps .
Idiom: in no uncertain terms (used idiomatically: yes)
Within four or five minutes , yet seeming like an eternity , the line begins to peel off the open spool , slowly at first but beginning to pick up momentum as each second passes . I lift the rod and click the bale - arm over with a flick of the reel handle , then wait for the rod - tip to bend . Knowing that the carp will not have as much energy as when I first hooked it , I pile on the pressure in no uncertain terms , and the fish swings round and immediately makes for the same lily bed it took refuge in previously . But this time I am prepared for it and wind the reel — a fast - retrieve model fortunately — as fast as possible , dipping the rod - tip to the surface of the lake on my right and applying a massive dose of side - strain . It works , and the fish flips over onto its side for an instant and I heave desperately to keep it coming .
Idiom: ride roughshod over (used idiomatically: yes)
They 've been using enormous amounts of their own resources and expertise , to make life easier for , for the people who are going through their country . Councillors meet polytechnic official to discuss building of student hostel on Headington Hill . We are sympathetic but we also can not ride roughshod over the concerns of the local community . Fjm And French gendarmes visit an Oxford school to teach their brand of road safety . When we teach pupils , in the same time we teach their parents ..
Idiom: fly a kite (used idiomatically: yes)
On the fifteenth of August , thousands of people fly kites .
Idiom: spring to mind (used idiomatically: yes)
LIVING APART : Petula and husband Claude Back at Albert Square I hear Sharon , or rather Letitia Dean , will be playing Snow White in pantomime . This is not exactly a character that springs to mind watching her at the Queen Vic jumping into the sack with her husband 's brother . The interesting thing about the panto is that her real life brother , Stephen , will play the supporting role of Prince Danilo , who , I seem to remember , ends up marrying Snow White .
Idiom: break new ground (used idiomatically: yes)
Parking for 1,000 cars will be provided on four levels adjoining the staff entrance . Panama record CROWN PRINCESS broke new ground recently with a record toll at the Panama Canal . En route to Vancouver to start a series of Alaska cruises , Crown Princess became the third Princess Cruises ship to hold the record , paying USS 141,344.97 . This beats the toll os US$ 141,088.61 paid by Regal Princess last year , and the US$ 109,653.60 record toll set by Star Princess in 1989 .
Idiom: make light work of (used idiomatically: yes)
FOCUS ON EASELS THE ESSENTIAL PROP An easel makes light work of both studio and outdoor painting . Our 20 point plan reveals all about the artist 's most valuable piece of equipment . PAGE 31
Idiom: fall from grace (used idiomatically: yes)
The insistence that ‘ person’ should be used rather than‘man’ , has produced endless jokes about Manchester being renamed Personchester or Mr and Mrs Freeman renaming themselves Mr and Mrs Freeperson . Such jokes obscure the fact that words which have negative connotations , or which seem to exclude women , tend to reinforce a sense of powerlessness . ‘ Man’ and ‘ mankind’are terms used interchangeably , supposedly to refer to the whole of humanity , as in ‘ Mankind has fallen from grace’or ‘ Man is the most intelligent of the animals’ . Yet feminists have pointed out the terms ‘ mankind’ or man often imply only males . To say , for example , that ‘ Woman is the most intelligent of the animals’ is therefore interpreted as a definite political statement .
Idiom: in the long term (used idiomatically: yes)
The launch of the NHS information management and technology strategy in December may not have been high on the agenda of most practising doctors . The strategy 's objective is to achieve a patient record that will be accessible wherever a patient is treated and to build on that record an entire clinical information system , so its success depends on the support of doctors . The medical profession is supporting one of the main foundations of the strategy — the clinical terms project — which in the longer term may fundamentally change the way in which doctors work . Central to the overall strategy is the ability to communicate information about individual patients and their care throughout the NHS . Ultimately each citizen will have a unique NHS number , and nationally linked population registers will ensure both that information needs to be entered only once and that it is available to any clinician caring for the patient .
Idiom: take root (used idiomatically: yes)
Please come . " I nearly said , " You do n't want a pregnant woman on your hands , even during the season of good will , " but something prevented me . A new set of feelings about the baby had begun to emerge since I had nearly lost it , and I wanted to be sure that they were going to take root before I risked dispersing them with talk . I got out of it anyway . Dottie 's feelings were seldom bruised by honesty — I simply said I 'd rather not and she said that in her opinion I was crazy , and that was that .
Idiom: set eyes on (used idiomatically: yes)
Henry Tyler had had an unexpected few days ' leave and had descended on his married sister and her husband in the small market town of Berebury in Calleshire without a great deal of warning . ‘ You 're not a total stranger … ’ ‘ To my certain knowledge , Wendy , I have never set eyes on anyone called Margot Iverson in my life before.’ ‘ I know that,’ said Wendy Witherington placidly , ‘ but you 're my brother and that 's the same as my knowing her on her knowing me.’ Logic had never been Wendy 's strong suit .
Idiom: in someone's pocket (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Let 's split,’ Harvey said . They all more or less agreed above undercurrents of mutual ill - will that it was time to be hit by the brutish cold again . Sandra glanced swiftly at the man with the stick , wondering what he had in his pockets . You never knew for sure … One item , at least , would have been familiar to her : a folded booklet of pornographic pictures , printed in Denmark .
Idiom: in light of (used idiomatically: yes)
A Fox FM radio reporter who was inside one of the pursuit cars , recorded the final moments of the chase . Three police cars were damaged as they effectively rammed the metro and brought it to a stop . In the light of day , it clear to see the potential dangers of the drive . Male speaker Death and injury were almost certain .
Idiom: face to face (used idiomatically: yes)
The Appointments Commission which selects public members will in future also select press members from names proposed ‘ at large’ , instead of being nominated by the constituent bodies . Complaints procedure : The four - part procedure — complaint , response , comments and final rejoinder — will be retained for appropriate cases but a shorter and speedier process giving each side one opportunity to state its case should be introduced . A ‘ radical’ new procedure , under which complaints staff make inquiries by telephone or face to face with the parties to produce a summary for the complaints committee , is proposed . The absolute right of an editor or journalist to opt for a personal hearing should be removed . Privacy : an individual who believes a publication due to appear may constitute unwarranted invasion of privacy should be free to ask for the council 's help .