Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: up sticks (used idiomatically: no)
Using the bike and the pick - up stick I find that I can cover quite a large area of ground and take some very good exercise at the same time.’ Bert 's public - spirited efforts have n't gone unnoticed either — his fastidiousness has won him a thank - you scroll from the Keep Britain Tidy group . Armed with only his trusty pick - up stick , Bert is ready for battle with Ringmer 's litter louts . ‘ I like to blitz the village twice a week . It 's very good exercise,’ he says
Idiom: go hand in hand (used idiomatically: yes)
( This procedure is reminiscent of the Christian and especially Catholic usage in which the Virgin Mary is known as the ‘ Mother of Jesus’ . ) Again , Tylor was able to prove that these curious forms of reference were not distributed round the globe by arbitrary acts of providence . On the contrary , they went hand - in - hand with the correlations already established between avoidance behaviour and residence at marriage . If , for example , a man was known as ‘ Father of James’ the probability was that he lived with his wife 's people and dutifully avoided his mother - in - law in the appointed manner . Tylor had thus isolated three separate customary practices and elegantly demonstrated that they formed a mutually associated complex , each element varying with the others .
Idiom: on the game (used idiomatically: yes)
In most cases when a game is acquired illegally , they would n't even think about buying the game if copying was impossible . I mean , when you can get Dick Tracy for free you 'll take it , but when you have to pay £ 10 for it you 'll leave it on the shelf . The second reason is the fact that most people have a limited budget and are already spending all their cash on games . When these people copy games they ca n't be damaging the software market , because they 're not able to buy the software anyway . You must n't get me wrong , I think the world would be much better without software piracy .
Idiom: give someone the slip (used idiomatically: yes)
If only she could turn her back on the golden Dane whose gaze still ensnared her , lose herself in the masses and find her own way back to the hotel , but she was held where she stood by invisible chains . ‘ Wrong fairy - tale , sweetheart,’ he chided gently . ‘ And I 've no intention of allowing you to give me the slip tonight . Quite apart from anything else , I have a business proposition to put to you . An opportunity I believe an ambitious person like yourself will find too good to resist.’
Idiom: off the beaten track (used idiomatically: yes)
Fly Air Canada to Toronto and you 'll discover an airline that really is a breath of fresh air . Drive Ontario Easily the most convenient , comfortable and enjoyable way to holiday in Ontario is to tour by car ; combining city sightseeing with ventures off the beaten track . The modern , uncrowded highways and inexpensive fuel ( much cheaper than the U.K. ) makes Fly - Drive the most popular way to go . Whatever you decide to do , the Canadapass brochure gives you the flexibility to plan an itinerary in as much detail as you wish , before you travel .
Idiom: up for grabs (used idiomatically: yes)
Emma Campbell and Kevin Murphy EVERY ticket holder in the new national lottery could become an instant millionaire — but you 'd be one in 3.2 million . A £ 1 million jackpot will be up for grabs every week for that one person who picks the right six numbers . That is if the Government opts to follow the Irish national lottery format . On football pools the odds of becoming a millionare are much better , and they 're a virtual certainty compared to the chance of winning the £ 250,000 Premium Bond prize .
Idiom: turn the corner (used idiomatically: yes)
Near the top the trees die out and the landscape which replaces them is a shock , for here the rock enters into full possession , turbulent acres of it , broken and jagged . These are the limestone arres , and as unwelcoming a site as you could think of for a new resort . But turn a corner and there the resort is , one of a number which have been built in the Pyrenees since the start of the 1960s at greater altitudes than the old , so as to lengthen what would otherwise be a brief and uneconomic skiing season . When I saw it , in 1985 , Arette - Pierre - Saint - Martin was far from finished and still , in part , a building site high in the mountains , which is an even stranger spectacle to come across . One does not expect , nor I trust want , to find shiny wooden chalets , let alone tall concrete apartment blocks standing arbitrarily up in this fascinating landscape , and phrases about ' cosmopolitan cesspits ' can easily come to mind as you stand looking at them .
Idiom: swim against the tide (used idiomatically: yes)
The results of this measure were that 50 per cent of total manufacturing activity ( measured by value added ) was left entirely in Nigerian hands . While there was certainly an increase in the output of these businesses in the prosperous years of the late 1970s it is doubtful if they did more than keep pace with the fast growth rate for the manufacturing sector as a whole , estimated by the World Bank to be 12 per cent from 1970 to 1982 . Further , they certainly did not succeed in swimming against the deep tide of recession which engulfed Nigeria from 1983 onwards . In theory , during this period their potential to adapt technology to source inputs locally ( as had occurred in Biafra during the civil war ) , rather than to import them might have given them a competitive edge over the large manufacturing companies managed and partly owned from overseas . In practice , the description of the potential of their businesses made by Akeredolu - Ale and Kilby proved to be substantially valid .
Idiom: round the bend (used idiomatically: yes)
Not a rapt or , but another bird typical of wild Wales . The sun shone gloriously , the sky was a brilliant blue , the valley in all its spring beauty lured us on . Round another bend — and we were in luck . It was a red kite that sailed above us now . In these superb light conditions its deeply forked tail glowed a rich chestnut .
Idiom: from scratch (used idiomatically: yes)
She took up the pastime after impressing friends and family when she made an engagement cake for her brother - in - law . Since then , orders have flooded in and Jackie , of Newcastle , works on as many as 25 cakes at any one time . She said : ‘ I make the cakes from scratch — everything from initial design and backing to finished artwork . ‘ The funniest request I have had so far is for a birthday cake which is made to look like a plate of steak and chips with cutlery on a tabletop setting.’ Change of posts in reshuffle
Idiom: pull a face (used idiomatically: no)
Come on , you old cow , he thought . A muted grumbling followed , then the slamming of a door . A small boy of about six came up to Jackson and stared at him from a distance of two feet before pulling a face and running away . The sergeant began to have serious worries respecting his car , which was parked round the corner , an open street map of Mansfield on the passenger seat . The scraping of a bolt recalled him to the issue in hand .
Idiom: get a life (used idiomatically: no)
This guy used to be a skinhead and sniff glue in Green Island , which is just outside where I used to live . He was out in a field one day sniffing glue and after he 'd finished he stumbled home . ' Over the next couple of months he got his life together and he met this girl and they got engaged . Then a few months later he got a job with a trucking company , moved into a new house and eventually got married . He 'd been married about two months when he went to bed one night and woke up the next morning and he was back in the field and 17 again .
Idiom: out and about (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ It 'd save you having to make anything at home.’ Ashley grinned . It was fun being out and about . ‘ Yes , please,’ she said . Although Thomas had begun to rub small fists into his eyes , he managed to stay awake while they ate omelettes in a local tavern .
Idiom: paint the town red (used idiomatically: yes)
Come Sunday you 'll enjoy a stroll down Memory Lane to re - live if not recapture some of the golden moments you 've shared with the ones you love . CANCER ( June 22/July 23 ) You want to have a good time and paint the town red this weekend , but somehow you feel restricted and constrained from enjoying life . What you need most of all is peace , quiet and the undisturbed opportunity to be along with your thoughts . LEO ( July 24/Aug 23 )
Idiom: save someone's skin (used idiomatically: yes)
But I 'll hate you all the while . Set against my wits and guile , Manly strength wo n't save your skin . I 'll be nice to you and smile But I 'll hate you all the while .
Idiom: in the final analysis (used idiomatically: yes)
" Shakespeare " and " the author of Macbeth " refer to the same person , but evidently they are not always interchangeable . If they were , " Shakespeare is the author of Macbeth " would be a tautology , not a contingent truth . Nevertheless this does not show that " Shakespeare " is a purely referential symbol devoid of all descriptive content , only that there is a certain difference in scope as between " Shakespeare " and " the author of Macbeth " ; with " Shakespeare " , in the final analysis , unfolding into a complex series of descriptions that uniquely characterise the individual concerned . If , on the other hand , the condition is that the proper name , if it is to count as a proper name at all , must be non - descriptive , then we shall look in vain for suitable candidates , for there can hardly be an expression that communicates something and yet does not incorporate , or contextually presuppose , a descriptive content . In a sense , of course , all this is true .
Idiom: time will tell (used idiomatically: yes)
Alternatively David Blair 's WAX uses low - budget computer tech and digital FX to mix original film and animation , found footage and a zoned - out voiceover , as it follows a weapons industry worker who , via a television implanted in his head by bees , visits the land of the dead before turning into a smart bomb in Iraq . Blair calls his low - budget high - tech approach ' electronic cinema ' and says it will be the form of the Nineties for creative independents . Time will tell . His home - brewed techno - myth is so out there it gets lost occasionally , but at least he 's managed to go all the way , unlike the BFI 's new directors who sadly seem creatively hamstrung by an outmoded system . funny face
Idiom: cut a dash (used idiomatically: yes)
It 's a double yellow . Any side dishes with your curry ? ' Cutting a Dash IF YOU INTEND TO ESCAPE FROM THE TEEMING FOLLY OF CITY LIFE AND hightail it to the freedom of the hills , does it really matter what you wear ? Of course it matters .
Idiom: in the can (used idiomatically: yes)
He usually plays older brothers , blushing patsies , jumpy sidekicks , all - smiles Ivy Leaguers . As Doug , Meadowbrook would be cast violently against type , but that was exactly the sort of doubletake effect I was interested in . The other guy , this Davis character , I had heard of but never seen in action , a Broadway boy with one film in the can . Prehistoric was still at the editing stage . We were going to see the roughcut .
Idiom: in this day and age (used idiomatically: yes)
And it seems to me there is no reason to suppose that because there are more houses , the propensity to move from one house to another declines . Perhaps before gentleman of the County Council whose name I still ca n't see I think in this day and age , there is probably a greater propensity to move and consequently there may well be an increased erm amount of vacancies occurring and that was why in our statement , we actually increased the number of vacancies , but I think that is a function of the number of houses on offer at the time . Mm . I think our concern is that the vacancy rate erm in the census indicates that some seven point one percent of the the properties in the county are vacant at er at that time .
Idiom: under the table (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ She ca n't be,’ Lily said , not looking at O'Hara . She began to tidy the room . She picked up the shoes from the hearth and put them under the table . ‘ Who the blazes is she ringing then?’ shouted Vernon . Suddenly he thumped the arm of his chair with his fist , remembering all the times he 'd caught Stella on the stairs in the middle of the night , staring at the telephone .
Idiom: behind someone's back (used idiomatically: yes)
Hoc 's fever began to return halfway through the task , and Dong ran frantically back and forth between their adjoining rows , working his own and his brother 's trees while Hoc rested . This saved Hoc from the beating that would inevitably have followed discovery of his shortcomings when the scowling overseers dipped their yardsticks into the cans at the collecting station . It was nearly seven in the evening and the sun was setting behind their backs before the two weary , footsore brothers were able to limp back to their barracks in Number Three Village with their joint quota fulfilled . At the gates they found the cai assembling the whole labor force before the barrack huts to witness the public punishment of those who had failed to meet the new demands . The exhausted coolies stumbled against one another in panic as the overseers marshalled them into a circle with blows about the head and shoulders .
Idiom: in light of (used idiomatically: yes)
The bad news is that the meeting was restricted to donors and Georgia 's government , with Transparency International criticizing its opaque decision - making process . Lack of transparency and accountability in how money is spent in wars , and in the rebuilding that takes place after them , no longer play well with taxpayers . In light of increasing global demand for aid and falling supply ( down 12 % over the last two years ) , its effective and transparent use is becoming more imperative . And governments that are not accountable to their citizens will most likely fail in this regard . Before these " pledges " become " commitments , " donors should carefully examine Georgia 's economic development strategy and assess its plans for humanitarian and reconstruction aid .
Idiom: on ice (used idiomatically: no)
The dominant Labour Party included large sections of industrial South Wales which was openly hostile , fearing that devolution would separate Wales from the economic and social structure of England and perhaps become a paradise for linguistic nationalists . Plaid Cymru itself was distinctly half - hearted on the issue . There was never any prospect of a ‘ Yes’ vote being recorded , and the treasured plans for a Welsh assembly to occupy a derelict corn exchange in Cardiff docks were put on ice . In the event , on 1 March 1979 there was a 4 to 1 majority in Wales against devolution , 243,048 votes in favour and 956,330 against . In Glamorgan and Gwent the votes were overwhelming , but even in Welsh - speaking Gwynedd , with its two Plaid Cymru MPs , there was a 2 to 1 majority against devolution .
Idiom: blaze a trail (used idiomatically: yes)
Warhead You 've played it in the arcades , if you 're over 25 , that is , as Missile Command . You have two missile launchers , one at either end of the screen , and a string of cities ' twixt the two to defend . From the skies above , incoming missiles blaze their trail to your cities , and you must defend them by hitting them before they hit you . It 's easy enough in the early stages , but gets devilishly hard as you get further on . There are a few additions to the original game which add a little spice to the proceedings , and it 's quite possible to waste an hour before you realise it .
Idiom: no spring chicken (used idiomatically: yes)
Exercise improves your heart and lung power . And it is proven to lead to stronger , more solid bones , relieve tension , depression and insomnia . But getting fit takes time and commitment and if you 're no spring chicken , you have to take it easy along the way . The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and PR Sprays have teamed up to produce a new booklet targeted at people approaching retirement and who believe that retirement means a life as a couch potato in front of the telly . The booklet points out that age is never a reason for giving up an activity or taking up a new one .
Idiom: only time will tell (used idiomatically: yes)
Its lateral line should enable it to survive and eat , but even this may have been affected if it is bumping into things . Keep it in the quarantine tank , cease medication and keep an eye on it for the next few months . Only time will tell if it is going to be alright . Fish will be able to survive without sight , with the help of their lateral line . Pic , shows a Blue Devil .
Idiom: come to mind (used idiomatically: yes)
And I remembered it was here the dumb woman lived . I shuddered . The rue de Sèvres came to mind . We walked on towards the church with the bulbous steeple . The belfry was ringing out cheerfully over the square .
Idiom: in business (used idiomatically: no)
' Duw , what 's this interruption then ? ' Hari said as the door was pushed open , looking over her shoulder . ' Oh , it 's you , Dai the Cop - shop , poking your nose in my business , is it ? Well , since you are so interested , this is my cousin come from the Neath Valley to help in the business . Want to make anything of it then ? '
Idiom: on the horn (used idiomatically: yes)
Come on . He sped away with them still on amber , narrowly avoiding a car coming the other way . The driver banged on his horn but Gregson drove on at speed , unconcerned by the accident he 'd almost caused . He 'd spoken to Houghton less than ten minutes ago . The DI had returned home and been greeted by Julie telling him that the Records Officer had called .
Idiom: any port in a storm (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I do n't like that woman . And I never really asked for her . It was just , ye know , any port in a storm.’ ‘ Ye'll tell her that?’ ‘ Too true I will .
Idiom: pick holes (used idiomatically: yes)
It will be something of a surprise to cricket lovers in the ‘ Strong Country’ if Mark Nicholas 's team does n't go close again in either the Benson and Hedges or the NatWest , and the advice is to have a little saver on both eventualities ( 20–1 with Surrey for the Benson & Hedges and 14–1 with Chandler for the NatWest ) . The main selection for the NatWest is also the main selection for the Championship . It is almost impossible to pick holes in the Essex claim to be the best county side especially for three and four - day cricket . For 1992 they re - employ the services of Australian Mark Waugh , who returns after a year 's sabbatical during which the county was well served by Salim Malik . It would certainly not be over stressing the point to say that Waugh returns a maturer player than when last seen sprinting up and down the wickets of Colchester and Southend .
Idiom: take liberties (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I wonder why?’ said Scarlet . ‘ It 's the middle classes,’ said Constance . ‘ They 've lost direction , and the working class is taking liberties.’ ‘ I 'll never understand your politics,’ said Scarlet . ‘ Not if I live to be a hundred.’
Idiom: from the cradle to the grave (used idiomatically: no)
They are part of the propaganda exercise of doubt itself . The real bone or contention is that truth is unnecessary and unwelcome rather than untrustworthy . Whenever a Christian community becomes a cocoon or Christian education becomes a well - insulated pipeline from the cradle to the grave , a special danger arises . Christians escape not only the world but the healthy tension of living within it . Without the constant reminder of the ‘ once and might have been’ , a blasé attitude of complacency is harder to resist .
Idiom: game on (used idiomatically: yes)
Dittmar 's remarks can not in any way be attributed to sour grapes . He can not possibly have played better despite tiring in the second half of a patchy but exciting final . On Friday he played the match of his life to beat the defending champion , Jahangir Khan , in five games , and at 6 - 0 up in the final game on Saturday he was not far from becoming the first player to beat both Khans in the same tournament . Dittmar is now likely to face either Jansher or Jahangir again in the world team championships which start in Singapore today . Rugby Union : Stephens adds Scarlet colour : Welshmen waiting for tourists find hope in rehearsals as Llanelli and Swansea prosper , but others offer cannon - fodder
Idiom: come to terms with (used idiomatically: yes)
Okay . doing very well thank you . Oh they they might do that but then er if you can be selective in other words I mean if they 've got competition and the competition 's advertising they 've got to come come to terms with that . You know and er equal if not better it . Right okay .
Idiom: take the piss (used idiomatically: yes)
Two , he might have been reclaiming the flag for non - racists . Great , but cue missiles . Three , he might have been taking the piss , provoking the crowd . Here come those coins . Maybe he just likes the pattern on the flag .
Idiom: live and learn (used idiomatically: yes)
Smile or squirm at the acronym SLUG — there is more to the name than meets the eye . A Stourbridge resident working in Kidderminster library subsequently told me that The Slug was the nickname for the Stourbridge Town branch train . We live and learn ! ’ Lettuce’hope our first real newsletter can be compiled with what remains from the £ 1 subscription , before encouraging a good turn - out to our first AGM , dare we hope ! Giles Angell
Idiom: burn rubber (used idiomatically: no)
The drive to Abbotsfield was a slow and unpleasant experience for all of them . Hubert Molland was an unpractised driver and his nervousness seemed to communicate itself to the big car , which juddered and groaned alarmingly . Even at forty - five m.p.h . the smell of burning rubber would have been overpowering if they had not had the windows open . He drove with fierce concentration , and sometimes his fierceness spilled over on to the passengers — especially on to Barbara , who sat beside him and navigated . ‘ Ca n't you keep those children quiet ?
Idiom: to say the least (used idiomatically: yes)
So why the sudden blaze ? But the sight of Elise 's work , hanging in Luke 's house , had caught her unawares , underlining her loss and , at the same time , reminding her that on the only occasion when Elise 's name had been mentioned Luke had adopted an attitude of total indifference , not even bothering to mention that he owned one of Elise 's paintings . It was odd , to say the least ! However , long before Merrill reached London she regained her composure , and she handed over Luke 's passport without a blink , seeing no necessity to tell him that she 'd had to search his house for it . During the short sea crossing to Zeebrugge Luke occupied himself making notes on his meeting of the previous evening , and thankfully Merrill opened the paperback she had brought with her , her favourite author 's latest suspense novel .
Idiom: follow in someone's footsteps (used idiomatically: yes)
' Oh , yes — I am sure my parents are both at peace now . It was the end of a long struggle ; there will be no more bespoke tailoring or fine sewing in the old workshop . ' ' You never thought of following in your father 's footsteps ? ' ' Oh , I 've no talent in that line ! ' Ernest indicated his old fashioned camera and tripod .
Idiom: in light of (used idiomatically: yes)
We have to consider the problem in the light of cultural differences .
Idiom: hit the jackpot (used idiomatically: yes)
He 's not let a league goal in yet . In the second half , Oxford brought on winger , Chrissy Allen in the hope of livening things up , but the game was as dead as a dodo . After 9 games without a win , Hereford United hit the jackpot on saturday with a well earned win over Torquay at Edgar Street . Skipper , Derek Hall got them going with his first ever goal for the club , so no wonder he went on a victory run . Torquay came straight back with an equaliser .