Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: pull strings (used idiomatically: yes)
In this sense he is like Mrs Ghandi , who as India 's prime minister ordered the attack on the Sikh Golden Temple and was later murdered by her Sikh bodyguard : having desecrated the holiest places of a fierce and unforgiving religion , Saddam 's life is potentially in danger from every Shiite he comes into contact with . It would do the people of Iraq no good at all for the West to step in and take Saddam away from them . For generations they have been led to believe that Britain and America secretly pull the strings in their country . This induces a feeling of helplessness and engenders a belief in hidden explanations and conspiracy theories . The most prevalent conspiracy theory in Iraq nowadays is that the West never wanted to get rid of Saddam and were actually on his side , helping him to flush his enemies out into the open .
Idiom: have a ball (used idiomatically: no)
Although he is happy with his lifestyle and a wages and bonuses package which earns him £30,000 a week , Walker 's evasive attitude and reluctance to project himself through the media has not endeared him to the locals . The former Forest star has also looked uncomfortable on the field . The Italians place great emphasis on the ability to pass the ball and build from the back , but these attributes are not among Walker 's strong points . However , he would be a perfect recruit for Arsenal , whose season has ground to a halt since they led the Premier League in early November . Someone with Walker 's pace and knowhow would be a prize addition to a defence which has not been at its ruthless best during the Gunners ' recent barren run .
Idiom: in the long term (used idiomatically: yes)
For developing countries to continue to enjoy rapid economic growth , and for rich countries to avoid a slump caused , it will be necessary to develop new energy technologies . Three objectives should be targeted : low - cost alternatives to fossil fuels , greater energy efficiency , and reduction of carbon - dioxide emissions . The most promising technology in the long term is solar power . The total solar radiation hitting the planet is about 1,000 times the world ’s commercial energy use . This means that even a small part of the earth ’s land surface , notably in desert regions , which receive massive solar radiation , can supply large amounts of the electricity for much of the rest of the world .
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
' She likes the track , can run from any trap and stays every inch of the trip , ' said the an unusually forthcoming Miss Heasman . Romford feature four heats of the Steve Simmons Marathon and My Texette ( 8.32 ) and Son Of Ash ( 9.04 ) look the pick . Star stayer Rahan Arc ( 9.15 ) showed a glimpse of his old form at Walthamstow on Thursday and stands out as the banker bet of the seven open races on an attractive Ramsgate card . On Tuesday at Walthamstow , Water Dip ( 8.30 ) will appreciate an easier task and the two for Hackney betting shop punters are Retired Lady ( 2.42 ) and Indie Go ( 5.11 ) . Thursday 's £ 1,000 stamina - sapping Daily Record Marathon could be an opportunity for Flossie Vale , confides racing manager Robert Lithgow .
Idiom: on the square (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Why not?’ asked Scarlet . ‘ Because he 's bent,’ explained Constance . ‘ He 's on the square.’ Scarlet accepted this without question , as she accepted all Constance 's character analyses : some dogs , she believed , had the same capacity for swift and accurate judgement . It was all to do with instinct , unsullied intelligence and an innate ability to discount the higher promptings of reason .
Idiom: in the bag (used idiomatically: no)
Christina raised her eyebrows . ' And who might that be ? ' Elaine applied a layer of lip - gloss and replaced the tube in her matching clutch - bag . ' Only the prime Minister 's friend , the divine Sebastian Aguilar ! ' Christina pulled a face .
Idiom: round the bend (used idiomatically: no)
DO ROUNDABOUTS DRIVE YOU ROUND THE BEND ? ROUNDABOUTS ARE SAFE AND SIMPLE IF YOU KNOW AND USE THESE RULES … Read this leaflet in conjunction with Rules for Roundabouts in the Highway Code for Northern Ireland .
Idiom: pissed off (used idiomatically: yes)
Needless to say the project never got off the ground , but this blatant assumption that pop stars will automatically say yes leads to exactly the kind of pressure that causes charity - fatigue . ’ Rock stars are always being asked to help charities,’sighs Sting , while Lenny Henry , who also gives a great deal of his time and resources to good causes , illustrates the bad effect charity appearances can have on your own career . ’ There is a danger of people perceiving you as Mr Cause and getting pissed off with you turning up yet again’ . Large corporations have been quick to see the financial potential in becoming involved with charity events . The Amnesty Human Rights Now Tour bore the banner’ Made possible by the Reebok Foundation’ .
Idiom: on edge (used idiomatically: yes)
Swamps and tall-herb fens None of these communities is specifically recorded in the NVC for the Outer Hebrides ( but see Spence in Burnett , 1964 , and the surveys by the Royal Botanic Garden , Edinburgh , 1983,1984 , and 1985 ) . The species involved are characteristically tall perennial monocots which tend to form pure stands on the edge of water bodies . There are a number of species which occur in this way and hence define communities in a rather trivial sense , since there are few or no associates . Communities based on pure stands of Equisetum fluviatile , Cladium mariscus , Schoenoplectus lacustris , Scirpus maritimus , Eleocharis palustris , Phragmites australis , Phalaris arundinacea and Glyceria fluitans probably all occur in the Outer Hebrides .
Idiom: rough edges (used idiomatically: no)
Everyone , that is , except 20-year - old Darcey Bussell , who , as the rich fleshpot 's daughter Ganzatti , stands up to Asylnuratova 's presence with a staggering authority . She paces dangerously around the stage claiming everything in sight , including Solor , with the naive greed of a woman indulged since childhood . Technically she still has some rough edges — a peremptoriness in her phrasing , an uncertain control over her own force -but the full easy strength of her dancing and the scale of her projection promise important things to come . THEATRE /Lovers and gamblers : Jeffrey Wainwright reviews Romeo and Juliet By JEFFREY WAINWRIGHT
Idiom: go straight (used idiomatically: no)
Yeah , you see ! Well we may as well have got that money and thrown it down the toilet ! Gone straight in the bin ! Well that 's right ! Straight away this year , you get a list through now , do you want winter cleaning done , curtains cleaned ,
Idiom: friends in high places (used idiomatically: yes)
A year later he published his three letters on sunspots . He was by now a very powerful man and had created jealousy and resentment . He had so many appreciative friends in very high places that he probably considered himself safe . Some highly placed people were in fact former pupils of his . Most of his enemies worked quietly like rats in a cellar , but some did not .
Idiom: speak volumes (used idiomatically: yes)
I thought you could take charge of that.’ ‘ Me?’ The awed pleasure in Lisa 's voice spoke volumes . ‘ But what about the floristry side ? Surely you would n't give that up altogether?’
Idiom: run out of steam (used idiomatically: yes)
France 's distinct , Gaullist perch in international affairs has crumbled with the ending of the Cold War . At home , a series of scandals has convinced voters that the government is no longer listening to them . M Mitterrand , in short , has run out of steam . The prospect for the rest of the European Community is of a France politically paralysed at a time when important decisions have to be made — whether on European integration or the future of world trading under GATT . Having won less than 20 per cent of the vote in the recent polls , the Socialists will have difficulty in finding partners within the National Assembly to help them pass legislation .
Idiom: cuckoo in the nest (used idiomatically: yes)
But many scientists spoken to by New Scientist believe that ISPRA is ill - equipped for the work . One fumed : ‘ We never in our wildest dreams associated this work with the capabilities of ISPRA’ . Now it threatens to become the cuckoo in the nest of European Fusion research . Nuclear fusion is becoming an ever - more important aspect of the EEC 's research programme . It seems set to grab a large part of the 15 per cent gap in the EEC 's joint research programme left by the demise of Super - SARA .
Idiom: talk shop (used idiomatically: yes)
Further , some at least of the influential individuals in a community may operate outside the field of industrial relations : drawing on the work of Blauner ( 1960 ) , Bulmer suggests that the strong occupational communities characteristic of mining settlements occur because the social relations forged in the workplace are carried over into the arenas of non - work activity , creating overlapping primary group affiliations in which people who work together tend to spend their non - work time with persons from the same industry . In doing so , they tend to ‘ talk shop’ . ( p. 79 ) Further , such occupational communities ‘ tend to be relatively self - enclosed , and to be the reference group for those who belong , setting standards of behaviour and providing its own system of internal differentiation’ .
Idiom: on the button (used idiomatically: yes)
The little gear lever feels like a tin opener on a string of cables . The steering wheel is the size of a soup dish . You fire up the engine on the starter button and the mechanic waves you out into the pit lane and you realize that the overall purpose of a racing car 's design is that you should feel a pure sense of yourself in propulsion . Looking ahead , over the instruments , there is nothing to see but the front tyres and the track . Ah , glory !
Idiom: in the blink of an eye (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ It 's her!’ she crowed with delight . ‘ What?’ That was Mandy , from pathos to pleasure in the blink of an eye . ‘ Who is staying with Mrs Foster ? For heaven 's sake , who has access to all her jewellery?’
Idiom: in tandem (used idiomatically: yes)
The close links between the two continued , with dyeing carried out for both at Stanley . Thus the two mills avoided competition by concentrating on different products ; Stanley , for instance , made worsteds . The two mills were thus run in tandem by Marling and Co from 1883 to 1920 , when they eventually sold out to P.C. Evans and Sons Ltd. Stanley Mill now operates under the name Marling and Evans and , with the exception of a short spell as a munition store during World War II , has been producing cloth ever since . Around 30 % of the current output consists of high - quality West of England cloth , the remainder made up with technical fibres such as nylons , polyesters and polyamides .
Idiom: up and running (used idiomatically: yes)
but once they 've gone through that pain barrier Yeah and got it set up and running Yes things then start to taper down again
Idiom: leave no stone unturned (used idiomatically: yes)
A few months later , Harry Goodman responded with a full frontal attack , claiming that 9000 children in the care of the RCM had ‘ practically no Jewish contacts and that no effort had been made over a period of years to give these children some religious education’ . Urged by Elaine Blond to respond on behalf of the Movement , Sigmund Gestetner , whose name was well regarded in orthodox circles , wrote to the Jewish Chronicle to deny the charges while offering gratitude to ‘ those true Christians who felt it their duty to save these persecuted Jewish children’ . As to claims that religious education was inadequate , he pledged the Movement ‘ to investigate any individual case referred to them’ and promised ‘ to leave no stone unturned to make the most satisfactory arrangements possible , . But how much were these promises worth ? Goodman tried to find out by demanding to know how many refugee children had been baptised since they had arrived in this country .
Idiom: out of sight (used idiomatically: yes)
' Of course , ' Kolchinsky said , getting to his feet . Whitlock crossed to where Brett was sitting . ' Do n't let him out of your sight , ' he said softly . ' I wo n't , ' Brett replied tersely . Whitlock said good night to Mobuto then followed Kolchinsky out into the corridor .
Idiom: lay an egg (used idiomatically: no)
This is the sight which stays with even the casual observer . The gauzy tides of swarming males , waiting for the females , rise and fall as if on invisible yo - yos . Having mated , grey clouds of females glide to the water , lay their eggs , and die . With all the poignancy of a Shakespeare sonnet , it is over in the space of a summer day , until next spring . When I consider everything that grows
Idiom: down and out (used idiomatically: no)
Phoebe , knowing the strength and command of Lisa , was comforted and , in some other place , almost amused to hear the midwife shocked , ordering Lisa to be more gentle . There was no gentleness like Lisa 's fierce love ; and she tried to respond to that while another darker voice called her to unconsciousness and silence . In the end she saw the giant fish-hooks come down down into her and she thought they would haul her out of the depths , but they did not . They had not come to rescue her , but the child whom Phoebe would not let be born . Forceps hurt .
Idiom: head south (used idiomatically: no)
But as she drove out of the city , heading for the road bridge and the Kilpatrick Hills on the north bank of the Clyde , she could feel the tension in her tightening . Usually the familiar beauty of this place had the very opposite effect on her , but today as she headed towards Loch Lomond she was filled with a terrible sense of doom . By the time she finally headed south again Kirsty 's future would have been decided . The thought made her stomach shrink inside her . Instantly she chided herself .
Idiom: walk of life (used idiomatically: yes)
That 's just a very you know , graphically describes the difference between the two . And it says then it is n't anything to do with intelligence or anything like that . You get people from all sorts of walks of life , who can be in these different ways . We 're going to imagine now then that you are in a situation where you 've got to solve a problem . A problem that 's come your way and it is n't the usual problems that you can quickly find an answer to .
Idiom: old hat (used idiomatically: yes)
Sarah favours Kylie at the moment , while Tom is keen on Michelangelo , which in a few years from now will probably mean a painter again rather than a Ninja Turtle . It is vital never to grant them absolute rights over nomenclature , or you will end up with a child called Aspirin Muesli Harris as poor Tom was for the first week of his life , until it was overruled as being pagan by the Irish Catholic nurse . The good news I hear from feminist friends is that it 's becoming old hat these days to involve the father in childbirth . For years , it was supposed to be crucial to bonding for baby to open its eyes on Mum and Dad in the first instants of life , which I always thought was a lot of toffee . Now it has been decided that men , with all their brow - mopping and weeping , are simply invading the seminal female experience , which should really be carried out in a darkened sweat lodge with only women as company .
Idiom: cap in hand (used idiomatically: yes)
Nevertheless , if congress has largely surrendered the positive power to initiate legislation to the executive , it remains a formidable negative force . Any bill proposed must navigate a complex network of committees and sub - committees that offer innumerable opportunities for delaying , diluting or defeating legislation . Even a president whose party controls both the House and the Senate is obliged to approach the legislature more or less cap in hand as he seeks approval for his programme . Similarly , the legislature 's ‘ power of the purse’ is not to be underestimated . Important policy changes will invariably carry revenue and expenditure implications and Congress jealously guards its constitutional rights in such matters .
Idiom: fall from grace (used idiomatically: yes)
They simply find themselves categorised by the limp thinking of economic commentators . One such victim is Gerald Ratner . Much of the presumption that surrounds Ratner 's fall from grace is baseless . Unusual position though it is , let me defend Ratner by exploding a couple of myths . Myth No.1 : ‘ Ratner is another victim of the passing of the Thatcher boom.’
Idiom: make the cut (used idiomatically: yes)
FOLLOWING THE LIFE - CYCLE If you find the galls early enough , cut open one gall each week to follow the stages in the development of the insect . Make a small cut and then try to pull the gall to pieces bit by bit . In this way you are more likely to extract the whole larva without damaging it . Make sketches of the larva or pupa , remembering to write the date in each drawing .
Idiom: get a grip (used idiomatically: no)
But the Prime Minister has obviously decided that having ridden the rough waters of the recession , the Chancellor should be given credit for the recovery . Hopefully his continuing presence at the Treasury will not delay it . One feature of this post - election scene is the need to get a grip on public expenditure . Some critics believe it is already out of control and that the wave of public sector pay claims likely in the aftermath of Labour 's defeat could tip it over the top . This means that the job of the new Treasury Chief Secretary takes on a significance which may unnerve Michael Portillo .
Idiom: cut corners (used idiomatically: no)
But where constables under common law can be creative in their construction of nebulous charges — such as that of ' obstruction ' , there can be no end to the opportunities for street summonses and arrests . The sane constable rapidly learnt to withstand the pressure from his seniors to work by the book . Cutting Corners Legal procedures were the preserve of the Instruction Book and of the advocates in court . On the street , expediency and common sense taught a different style .
Idiom: slap on the wrist (used idiomatically: yes)
There should be no room for this sort of passive interest in the general well being of tennis — especially from the player ranked No . 1 in the world . The WTA should use it 's authority more efficiently . Not for the first time this year , Seles had been let off with a mere slap on the wrist . Maybe the WTA should adopt the policy of docking ranking points in future ? This I feel sure , would change the attitudes of such players and make Seles in particular realise her responsibilities .
Idiom: pull a face (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Oh , Father ! Henry Stalwort , forty - five if he 's a day ; two daughters , one nearly as old as our Jessie . But of course’— she pulled a face at him —‘he 's in the wholesale business , is n't he ? We might get our tiger nuts cheaper.’ ‘ You 're a cheeky monkey .
Idiom: in the long run (used idiomatically: yes)
So at that point then did you almost give up hope that you would be rescued ? that you more or less were going to end in the sea at that point ? Aye , well I mean that There 's there 's so many things that go through your mind that In a situation like that . I mean you 've got to try and keep yourself afloat , and then even that 's not going to help you , if nobody comes along and picks you up either , so I mean that But I mean I I did n't Oh well I Suppose I could say I gave up hope a few times but obviously if you s The struggle to survive comes through in the long run , and I mean it 's it 's not easy to give up hope , At that stage when you were picked up then , what happened the , where were you taken to after that . Well we were taken up to the standby boat which is I mean every vessel in the North Sea , every rig and installation has a boat that circles it , non stop , twenty four hours a day and I mean that The standby boat on Piper I mean it was the the two inflatable boats off it that picked everybody up , and most folk up , and one of them was lost , they lost two of the crew off that .
Idiom: with a will (used idiomatically: yes)
However , I consider myself an expert in the art of assassination and murder and , I tell you this , violent death always comes quietly . One minute we were riding our horses , the next we were surrounded by five villains intent on murder . Benjamin and Agrippa drew their hangers and set to with a will , the eerie silence of that lonely road shattered by grunts , muttered oaths and the scraping clash of steel . I drew my own sword , shouting defiance and encouragement to the rest . But , oh , Lord , I was frightened !
Idiom: on and off (used idiomatically: no)
Nobody gets away with murder in this City.’ ‘ There 's always a first time.’ Experimentally , she flicked the cold steel safety catch on and off in her pocket . She was wearing a groove in her thumb . What to do next ?
Idiom: turn the corner (used idiomatically: yes)
The trees were green now with the tender leaves of May , yet when first she knew Rob those trees had been silvered by February frosts . They had met just three months ago , yet now it seemed that the whole of her life had been crammed into those few fleeting weeks ; as if her living had had no meaning before they met and her future would have no substance if ever he left her . Now she stood at the gate of Ten - acre Pasture , staring across the hedgetops to the control tower that jutted into the gentle landscape with angular obscenity , begging silently that when she turned the corner he would be there . The early evening sun was warm on her face and the sky so clear and calm that it seemed impossible so beautiful a world could be at war ; that small , beautiful world that was Yeoman 's Lane , and Tingle 's Wood , through which it ran . The beech tree was a part of it too , and the stile beneath it where they always met , at seven .
Idiom: in the short run (used idiomatically: no)
But as long as the politicians are forced to levy annual taxes to make annual debt repayments , there is some control over their fiscal integrity . This is the essence of local authority capital accounting . By retaining the link between finance and accounting , local politicians are forced to bear some of the cost of their programmes in the annual taxes that they have to levy in the short run . Politicians are endowed by law with finite , and short , time horizons . The capital accounting system is a method of forcing some of the financial consequences of their actions into those time horizons .
Idiom: turn heads (used idiomatically: yes)
' The whole story 's in that exercise book I found . ' He thought for a moment . ' Oh God , ' Urquhart sighed and he turned his head away from her . ' We 're done for . ' ' Who ? '
Idiom: make ends meet (used idiomatically: no)
And so they roistered to their stone - hearted content . Young farmers , of course , are not generally farmers these days . Farmers are normally too busy trying to run their dwindling holdings and make ends meet to be able to swan off to Butlin 's for a spot of pigeon - beheading . YFs these days include all sorts of riff - raff ; solicitors , accountants , stock brokers , that sort of socially unacceptable type exactly the sort Mick from Middlesbrough thinks should be subjected to an attack of class warfare . Individually they are hard to spot , they sort of melt into the crowd .