Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: go to the wall (used idiomatically: yes)
Disloyalty , subterfuge , inefficiency : these he had once rectified ; now he punished . What he wanted done , he wanted done exactly , and by yesterday . Those who could stand the pace flourished ; those who could not went to the wall . Those who crossed him — and there were fewer and fewer of those — quickly had cause to regret it . A small jeweller in Switzerland , who for years had made good profits by flagrantly copying de Chavigny designs , using inferior stones , low - carat metals and cheap workmanship , and then passing them off as de Chavigny originals through an impenetrable network of shady dealers and retailers , found its bank was suddenly very glad to extend credit for new workshops and an expansion programme .
Idiom: in the red (used idiomatically: yes)
Saddam Hussein has gone on Baghdad T V to call for a Holy War against U S forces in the Gulf , and the overthrow of Saudi Arabia 's King Faed . He blames America and Israel for U N sanctions which mean Iraqi children would die because they have no food , milk or medicine . Last winter 's storm damage pay - outs have battered profits for the big insurance companies , threatening to push up house cover premiums ; half - year profits for Sun Alliance show the firm £ 190,000,000 in the red , compared with 191,000,000 in profit at the same time last year . The weather : cloudy with light rain tonight , but becoming dry and clear later , lowest temperatures are expected to reach around 8x celsius , that 's 46x fahrenheit , and tomorrow should be sunny and windy but fairly cool . Still to come ; gay activists are holding a demonstration in London tonight , but first there are calls for doctors and surgeons infected with the AIDS virus to be forced to declare their illness to patients .
Idiom: at the drop of a hat (used idiomatically: yes)
Will they ? Probably not . Because governments in the Middle East have a habit of declaring holy war at the drop of a hat , their people have learnt to give cautious answers to the call to arms . Mr Hussein may declare Iraq 's war against the allies to be a jihad , but Saudi Arabia returns the compliment , and has organised a fatwa ( religious decree ) to prove it . The danger is in the longer run .
Idiom: cut and thrust (used idiomatically: yes)
To complete the picture , we now undergo a series of embittering demotions at AMS . One Friday afternoon I hand over my gauzy cream tunic and slip into a kind of butcher 's apron , epically and namelessly stained . You could say this for the new position : it took us back a way from the medical cut and thrust . It took us , instead , into the storeroom , the garbage kilns , the pick - up truck and the city dump . This special facility at the city dump , you see : that 's where everything comes from .
Idiom: see the light (used idiomatically: no)
It has been put on the market after 600 years in the same family and is expected to fetch around £400,000 . HOLYWOOD heartthrob Harrison Ford arrived in Britain to promote his new film this weekend — and forgot its name . As TV lights shone on his bemused face , he invited the crowd to come and see his new movie ‘ Witness ’ . An embarrassed Ford apologised for the blunder and announced that The Fugitive will be premiered in Britain on September 23 . Shock for Phyllis
Idiom: all things being equal (used idiomatically: yes)
Whilst there is no great dis difference in the distance of any of the sites in terms of , in aggregate , all the journeys which would be attracted to Cambridge , bearing in mind the role of the new settlement in serving Cambridge 's development needs , would be substantially higher in money terms and in the use of energy than most of the alternative proposals . I would totally agree with that conclusion and I would say that in the York situation , you should choose the one that is closer to York than is farthest out . All other things being equal . Yes . Yes .
Idiom: on the ground (used idiomatically: no)
BOWLS Haslemere welcome newcomers Haslemere Bowls Club begin the 1992 season on Saturday , April 25th on the Recreation Ground in Old Haslemere Road ( 3 p.m . ) . Members will be there to welcome any newcomers to give help and to lend woods , though there are some owned by the club for anyone 's use . The council-owned green is open to the public and the club can provide the necessary equipment for anyone to have a casual game .
Idiom: in my book (used idiomatically: yes)
I should hope that anyone of lesser climbing ability that Mr Lee would have taken one look at the gully and decided that conditions were unfavourable . The fact that Mr Lee can climb up to E1 suggests that he pushed himself into difficulties , in a scenario which must be familiar to most climbers or mountaineers . In my books I strongly advocate that a rope is carried in the party for use as a safeguard if necessary , or to aid retreat . If this advice had been followed I 'm sure Mr Lee would not have been so worried . I also advise against solo scrambling .
Idiom: pull a face (used idiomatically: yes)
She had achieved her end , and self - assertiveness was not comfortable for her . ' Good evening , ' Gaily said . This time , she was wearing a hat , which pulled her face back , somehow , and made a line round it , so that she looked older than she had the other night . He was n't sure he liked the hat but he recognised the gesture in wearing it and was half pleased , half afraid . ' Oh , I did n't think you would come , ' she said , and laughed , not at all a confused laugh , but quiet , and at herself rather than at him , looking down at her cupped hands as she did so .
Idiom: play silly buggers (used idiomatically: yes)
Who 's there ? Zehavi , are you sleepwalking again ? Come on , stop playing silly buggers , you 're putting the wind right up me.’ The sound came nearer , resolving into a kind of low whispering . Flickering beams of dim light came with it , caressing the machinery which shielded their source from direct view .
Idiom: throw in the towel (used idiomatically: yes)
On occasions when talking about the case , I have been asked what advice I would have given to Profumo . Some thirty years after the event , it is not easy to recapture the circumstances or to avoid post hoc propter hoc . But my present belief is that if Profumo had come to me for advice ( and my advice , of course , would only have made sense if one postulates that Profumo would have told me the truth ) , I would have recommended that he should throw in the towel ; assert that he had no intention of allowing his private life to be discussed in public ; apologise to the Prime Minister for the embarrassment he had caused both to him and to the party , and withdraw rapidly . Had he done that — and this is advice every sensible lawyer would have given to him — he might have been able to return to public life without the long and painful period of atonement to which he was exposed . We have recent evidence that the Conservative Party at least is willing to forgive , and once it had been accepted there was no question of the betrayal of any secrets , it would have been a simple matter of marital infidelity .
Idiom: go without saying (used idiomatically: yes)
A child , I feel , will make me a better person and draw the attention of others to my good character . And so I see the fathers in the park or the supermarket with their little charges and I am jealous . It is partly , it goes without saying , that I 'd like another sentient being who imagines me to be the centre of the universe , but it 's more than that . Like all fathers , I see fatherhood as a chance to turn over a new leaf . On the one hand , I want fatherhood to make me a better person because I believe that , once I have the responsibility of looking after a child , giving up smoking and drinking and spending money on the motorbike will be a doddle .
Idiom: in the lap of luxury (used idiomatically: yes)
for being the wrong sex . Yes . Only children growing up in the lap of luxury Yes . And mothers are supposed to sink all their hopes ambitions in the one child .
Idiom: hit the headlines (used idiomatically: yes)
The War at Sea One respect in which the war came to acquire an international dimension concerned its impact on shipping . It was in 1984 that the war at sea began to hit the headlines , although there had been earlier incidents involving attacks on shipping . The first vessel casualty recorded was the bulk carrier Louise I , hit and sunk in May 1981 in an Iraqi air attack . But if 1984 was the year in which the expression ‘ tanker war’ was coined , 1987 was to prove the most eventful of the entire conflict .
Idiom: by the back door (used idiomatically: no)
In the hall of the castle Sir John was reasoning with a group of servants while Lady Charlotte had hysterics under the portrait of a clan chief of the sixteenth century — an armoured and bearded warrior who looked down with an imperious black stare . At one side the Reverend James MacDiarmid was standing in his dark clothes with the conspicuously expressionless demeanour of an undertaker 's mute . The servants wanted to flee , by a back door . ' McDougal , calm them down ! ' Menzies barked fiercely at his butler .
Idiom: under fire (used idiomatically: yes)
But you were the same age , you might have known or heard things about her that adults would not know.’ Sarah returned his gaze without much expression . He was coming to realize that she could hold her own under fire . Slowly she shook her head . ‘ Ca n't think of anything .
Idiom: make history (used idiomatically: no)
How could this take place ? As Sartre had put it in What is Literature ? : ‘ Never has homo faber better understood that he has made history and never has he felt so powerless before history’ . How can man make history if at the same time it is history which makes him ? Sartre considered that orthodox dialectical materialism takes the easy way out by merely eliminating the first in favour of the second , making man a passive product entirely determined by economic circumstances .
Idiom: unknown quantity (used idiomatically: yes)
Also representing Scotland for the first time today will be the Ferguslie all - rounder , Stuart Kennedy , who follows in the footsteps of brother , Iain , who was capped six times . In the absence of Philip and Storie , George Reifer will open the batting with Bruce Patterson , Clydesdale 's new professional , and though Reifer has not had too much experience of going in first , he did open a couple of times during his 15-game spell with Barbados . The strength of the opposition is an unknown quantity , but in last week 's game against Yorkshire , who won only by seven runs , Stellenbosch had the Hampshire captain , Mark Nicholas guesting for them . It is expected they will draft in one or two guests tomorrow . Incidentally Yorkshire , who meet the Scots in two one - day games next week , won their fifth match in succession today , beating Northern Goodwood .
Idiom: for good measure (used idiomatically: yes)
The high frequency of I as theme helps to maintain a sense of continuity and a coherent point of view . I had nothing against his [ Fayed 's]being a wealthy commission agent — I had everything against his cheating his way into House of Fraser , helped by Kleinwort Benson and Norman Tebbit . It was bitter , but funny , to see that Professor Smith had doubled his own salary before recommending the offer from Fayed , and added a pre - dated bonus for good measure . I saw how Brian Basham of Broad Street Associates and the barrister , Royston Webb , helped venal journalists to turn a sow 's ear into a golden purse , and how that golden purse was well received everywhere that it opened . I saw how the well - documented material containing the truth about Fayed that we began to put before the DTI was received in embarrassed silence .
Idiom: dig deep (used idiomatically: yes)
Her world was truly altered . Now it seemed there was nothing at all to cling to . She did not need to dig deep to know that she would not be satisfied with her old way of life , with her quiet existence and with Glyn . Being here had awakened something in her . Alain had awakened something too and it could not be dismissed .
Idiom: in light of (used idiomatically: yes)
Voice may also decrease if new possibilities emerge : a new potential partner means that there is no longer any pressure to discuss and improve relations within the existing arrangement . The schema might also be applied to political relations : Hirschman wrote a memorable article showing how the ability to exit East ~ Germany in 1989 produced a sudden breakdown of loyalty . Europeans might rethink some of their current dilemmas in the light of Hirschman 's theory . The marriage analogy has become a rather over - used metaphor for Europe 's efforts to integrate . But it is clear that both voice and loyalty have become a problem for the European ~ Union .
Idiom: sleep rough (used idiomatically: yes)
So erm mum went down one day and he was there and she said he were with my sister 's boy , they were both sleeping rough . And my mum said to Adrian I do n't like you sleeping down here . She said it 's bad enough you know , being er sleeping rough without sleeping down here with nothing . So she , she phoned Wendy and said you know , this is ridiculous . So they got him a tent , and they put it at the top of my mum 's garden .
Idiom: in hot water (used idiomatically: yes)
Middy pushed through his legs as he stooped , almost unbalancing him . ‘ Damn you , take it easy!’ He had a sudden compulsion to wash his hands in hot water , but could n't find matches to light the stove . He felt in his pocket for his lighter and his fingers touched the hard squareness of an envelope . Suddenly the events of the last few hours gripped him in a violent despairing spasm .
Idiom: in a nutshell (used idiomatically: yes)
Graeme Donald BEFORE giving a precis of events , people often say : ‘ To put it in a nutshell . ’ In the past , anything neatly encapsulated was said to be ‘ like The Iliad in a nutshell ’ — a reference to the ancient Greek epic which Roman historian Pliny maintained could be written on a piece of paper small enough to fit in a walnut . In 1714 , Pierre Huet , the Bishop of Avranches in north-west France , put this to the test . He proved that all 17,000 verses could be minutely inscribed on a piece of parchment 10.8 in by 8.4 in , which could then be folded up and placed in a walnut shell .
Idiom: run the gauntlet (used idiomatically: yes)
This does not mean that all these methods should be banned : on the contrary — banning contraception might simply lead to a sudden rise in both abortion and childbirth , both of which are likely to be at least as dangerous for women 's health in a poor country . Even in the rich world , childbirth is between one and a half to three times as dangerous as taking the pill and nearly 11 times as dangerous as being sterilised or using the IUD , whereas early , legal abortion carries a mortality rate similar to the pill . In fact women are clearly already making this kind of calculation for themselves and many do decide they would rather run the gauntlet of contraceptive side effects than risk a pregnancy and cope with the consequences . But the numbers deciding in favour of contraception are far fewer than might be predicted from a simple comparison of relative death risks . And this has the experts confused .
Idiom: off the mark (used idiomatically: yes)
Rideout , boosted by scoring twice for the reserves in midweek , admitted last night : ‘ Graeme 's been one of the top strikers in the game for several years and he is a hard act to follow . ‘ He was one of the best at his job and enjoyed a lot of success at Everton . I know I 've got to start scoring and it would be nice to get off the mark at last on Sunday . ‘ I 've had a shoulder injury for the last three or four games and it 's the last thing you need when you are struggling to score your first goal . But getting two for the reserves was encouraging.’
Idiom: in black and white (used idiomatically: yes)
There are also technical limitations . A well - known picture book of Italian art alone contains more than 4,000 reproductions , yet histories of art , as we have seen , contain fewer , sometimes much fewer than 1,000 plates . Of the illustrations in any general book relatively few are in colour ; a careful author is bound to consider which works suffer least from being reproduced in black and white . Again , the need for the deeply interested reader to supplement a survey with other books becomes evident . The presenter of a television series has some advantage over a writer , since filming is more flexible than book production .
Idiom: on the horn (used idiomatically: no)
We ask this in Christ 's name . Amen.’ A prayer is said by all before three long blasts are blown on the horn by the hornblower . According to tradition , the horn symbolised the granting of the charter to Ripon in AD 886 . The horn was also blown every night to ‘ set the watch’ , signifying that the city was now in the care of the wakeman .
Idiom: go through the motions (used idiomatically: yes)
At the first office the girl was young and brown and pretty , and he actually told her he flew Spitfires in the war . She turned suddenly kind , pity on her face . After that he and Paul trudged from office to office , going through the motions , expecting nothing . ‘ But can you fly?’ Paul says .
Idiom: without fail (used idiomatically: yes)
Mary Collier writes in ‘ The Woman 's Labour’ of the mistress coming to inspect the laundry : Then comes our Mistress to us without fail , And in her Hand , perhaps , a Mug of Ale To cheer our Hearts , and also to inform
Idiom: bear in mind (used idiomatically: yes)
Rule 5–43 provides that a firm must not make a personal recommendation to a private customer to deal , or arrange a deal in the exercise of discretion for any customer , if the dealing would reasonably be regarded as too frequent in the circumstances . Except in relation to discretionary management , the rule as such only applies to a private customer and thus , to some extent , non - private customers are left to make their own judgement as to the frequency of dealings . However , it must be borne in mind that action in relation to a non - private customer which would , in the case of a private customer , have breached the churning rule may nevertheless infringe the SIB statements of principle ( in particular principle 1 , which provides that a firm should observe high standards of integrity and fair dealing ) . It should not be assumed , therefore , that it is legitimate to recommend excessively frequent dealing to a non - private customer . The prohibition against churning is , in theory , no more applicable to futures transactions than any other type of investment although in practice the " churn and burn " and hard sell tactics of some of the more disreputable futures brokers have , in the past , given a misleading impression of the futures industry generally .
Idiom: cut corners (used idiomatically: yes)
A good first aid box should contain the following : Several bandages in various sizes , including a crepe bandage for sprains ; A small pair of scissors that will cut in awkward little corners , etc . ; A pack of cotton wool ( a roll not cotton wool balls ) ; Individually packed sterile dressings in various sizes ;
Idiom: beg the question (used idiomatically: no)
‘ Pride and dignity’ is the soulboy soul - cialist 's supreme tenet . This too has its origins in subcultural theory : Hebdige 's hypothesis that the ‘ classy’ look of Mod style was a challenge to the class structure in sixties Britain , an expression of resilient self - belief . But this begs the question : does ‘ pride and dignity’ amount to anything more than the aspiration to participate in society on its own terms ? What use is the Staples Singers ' exhortation ‘ respect yourself’ , if the notion of self - respect is still bound to conventional notions of respectability ? ROOTS RHYTHM RADICALISM
Idiom: make a go of (used idiomatically: yes)
Deirdre Butcher had earlier admitted her daughter had been out with bachelor Gilbey — named as the man on the infamous Squidgy tapes . ‘ She has been seeing James recently but she still loves Marco,’ said Mrs Butcher . ‘ She would like to make a go of it but there is nothing there — it is so sad.’ Lisa split up from Marco after just 15 weeks of marriage . It was the second marriage for the chef who runs Harveys restaurant on Wandsworth Common and The Canteen at Chelsea Harbour in partnership with actor Michael Caine .
Idiom: on the carpet (used idiomatically: yes)
either side of a small lantern clock . Time had stopped and the house had become cold . I knelt on the carpet where I 'd sat earlier , ( my face flushed then , my eyes burning and dry ) . Now , the fire had gone , only ash remained .
Idiom: word of mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
Trestles make it all so much easier and safer , and it is worth while having a second one so that everyone can relax for a few minutes if it is proving difficult to align both wings to get the main pins in place . Trestles are also very useful for holding the wings level if the glider is being picketed overnight . The routine for rigging and de - rigging is usually passed on by word of mouth , or is self - taught . As a result it is not unusual to see people doing things which increase the risk of serious damage if things go wrong . I have often seen pilots fitting the tailplane on before the wings .
Idiom: in my book (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ When I am finishing the book . You say you have read it . It is all in my book , everything about Gómez that I know.’ ‘ He went to Peru , did n't he?’ ‘ He was going to Peru .
Idiom: pure and simple (used idiomatically: yes)
We act civilised mostly , but we 're still basically meat - eating predatory killers underneath it all , and we each have to deal with that . ‘ All this type of modern music that we play , if you think back to when it all started , whether it 's thrash , rap , disco , rock'n'roll , it all started with black people in slavery and poverty in the southern States , and about the only thing they could ever have a good time with was sex . Then early black singers like Leadbelly would do songs about that , but say , ‘ Baby , let me rock and roll you all night long … ’ since that 's what the term ‘ rock and roll’means , pure and simple . But what white kids did when they took that form of music was to quote white literature which is head stuff , and nothing to do with what 's under your balls . ‘ In my estimation the most perfect rock'n'roll band that ever existed , The Beatles , when they sat down and wrote lyrics , they were just throwing ideas around that really meant nothing , and we were the ones who , for instance , made out that Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds meant LSD .
Idiom: under the table (used idiomatically: yes)
Would you like to do me some do something for me ? Yes . Under the table here there 's a book . There 's a big thick book . Can you see it ?
Idiom: force someone's hand (used idiomatically: yes)
How can one tell ? ‘ After the trick of the engagement Constanza wanted to break it off then and there whatever her own feelings . They rushed out into Regent 's Park — out of earshot — and Simon told her , yes of course he was forcing her hand , it was blackmail : he did love her so , she was the right one for him and he 'd take her tomorrow on five hundred pounds , if someone would lend them to him , and he did rather fancy himself as a married man at twenty - one . ‘ On my mother 's money?’ ‘ That 's my bit of luck — the trust fund thrown in as well as your extraordinary mama .