Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: make the grade (used idiomatically: yes)
Finishing burst : Scotland 's Tom McKean leads the pack as he heads for the line and victory in the 800 metres at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Toronto Troubled Selkirk stage a thrilling recovery Selkirk 33 Stirling Co 10 SHOULD Selkirk fail to make the grade and drop out for a fourth spell in Division II , they will at least on this occasion descend with honour . With the plaudits of the 4,000 Bedford fans still ringing in their ears from their exhilarating brand of rugby from their pre - English international game last week , the Philiphaugh faithful were equally ecstatic following their team 's magnificent recovery against Stirling . From being 10 - 6 down at the interval their pure brand of running rugby thrilled the crowd as the Souter backs blazed over for four thrilling tries and for a victory that appeared well beyond their reach at the half - way stage .
Idiom: and then some (used idiomatically: no)
What type of shapes of corn dollies were there ? Oh they were they were er crisscrosses and er and r and some of them would be rounded . But most of them were just a a crisscross kind of a thing and then some would be have a round bit and then this little corn dolly this little n knob on the top . That was that was you see . Mhm .
Idiom: turn someone's head (used idiomatically: yes)
Jehan closed his eyes against the glare . In his belt he had a horn container which held a mixture which was supposed to be smeared upon the eyelids under such conditions to increase the density of the clan tattoo . He felt lethargic , unable for the moment to move , and turned his head slowly . ‘ Is this your idea?’ He looked at his father .
Idiom: behind bars (used idiomatically: yes)
And British MPs are noticeably impatient with what they consider the glacial pace of change in global regulation ; they want action now . If the United ~ Kingdom does proceed in this unilateral way , what would the consequences be for London ’s banking industry ? Would New ~ York , Frankfurt , or even Paris receive a competitive boost as international bankers , alarmed at the prospect of time behind bars if their derivative trades blow up again , flee the City ? The commission ’s members offer two , somewhat contradictory , answers to that question .
Idiom: in hot water (used idiomatically: yes)
Under pressure Beans , pulses and grains feature increasingly in a healthy diet , but they take a long time to cook , even using a microwave . The quickest method is pressure cooking — to cook beans , soak them for 1 hour in hot water , then cook for 3 to 5 minutes ( or for 15 minutes if unsoaked ) . Good stainless steel pressure cookers cost around £ 40 . Organic hitch
Idiom: tell tales (used idiomatically: no)
If you are just happy to dream , feast your eyes on this selection of motoring marvels , as seen through the eyes of our motoring correspondent , Peter Jones . On road and off , the new Shoguns will enhance their reputation here . A day driving them over Spain 's hilly , winding roads , and around a slippery off - road course , told a convincing tale . To be able to sell every vehicle that lands at a UK port and , as a result , to enjoy buoyant prices for used models , has long been the happy position for Mitsubishi 's UK importer , Colt Cars . Only the quota on Japanese vehicles prevents a true head - to - head with the class - leading Discovery and the Isuzu Trooper that has cashed in so successfully in this growth sector of the market .
Idiom: under the influence (used idiomatically: no)
They accepted with alacrity the prospect of a glimpse of the world inside , and all three of them went along dark portrait - hung corridors and up panelled staircases to the room of one Flora Piercy , a second - year History student of considerable sophistication , who offered them a glass of wine . Had they known how rare such a commodity was in a woman 's college at that date , they might have been even more astonished , but in a sense , looking round Flora 's room , with its bright scatter cushions and Picasso prints and posters for plays at the ADC , with its invitations on the mantelpiece , with its gas fire and clutter of old shoes , with its romantic piles of what looked like lecture notes and essays , with its candle in a pewter stick and its wilting rose in a vase , they were beyond astonishment . The glass of wine went quickly to each head , for Alix 's family was teetotal , and Liz 's alcohol consumption to that date comprised perhaps three glasses of brown sherry and one ( celebrating her A levels with her teacher ) of Liebfraumilch : Esther seemed better connected with drink as with friends , but even she became confiding under the mild influence . They shared their dreams and aspirations , encouraged by the benevolent , admonitory , tutelary spirit of ample broad - faced Flora . ' I would like , ' said Liz Ablewhite , after midnight , staring into the white flaming chalky cracked pitted flaring columns of the gas fire , ' to make sense of things .
Idiom: way to go (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Quit gabbling , woman . If I were you I 'd save my breath and my energy for later — talking never proved a thing ; it 's actions that count . And I 'm afraid that as all I 've seen is one miscalculated mishap after another you 've got an awful long way to go before I 'm convinced of anything . Now , why do n't you just go upstairs like a good little girl and get out of those wet things ? After that maybe , just maybe , you can start proving to me you do possess some measure of professionalism — although to be honest,’ he added caustically , ‘ I 'm finding it hard to believe you 're capable of distinguishing between a weed and an orchid at the moment , or even digging a garden , let alone ever designing one.’
Idiom: tough as old boots (used idiomatically: yes)
Two bottles of orange juice , opaque and brilliantly coloured , one of cod liver oil , translucent and greenish - gold . Before the tin victory brooch , these bottles of liquid strength were the only goods that Dot knew were hers alone , belonging to no grown - up . Gloria poured her a spoonful from each bottle every day and said that 's why she was tough as old boots , because she always swallowed it down like a good girl . A previous landlady had tried to help herself to the orange juice to put in her gin . When Gloria complained , there 'd been a tiff and they 'd had to leave .
Idiom: change hands (used idiomatically: yes)
I met them through an advert . Cos they advertised when before it became illegal to advertise . I bu but no money changed hands . Nothing . They paid me expenses which was expenses to hospital and I think gave me about thirty pound for maternity clothing and that was it .
Idiom: go straight (used idiomatically: yes)
There is no other place like it . Resuming the journey , a most important meeting of roads is soon reached at Braemore Junction . The A.835 goes straight forward , crossing the watershed of the Highlands and ultimately arriving at the east coast . Turning off is the A.832 bound for Gairloch , forty - five miles distant on the west coast . Should the junction be overlooked in darkness or mist , an error is irretrievable without returning , these being the only two motor roads in a wide area .
Idiom: on a shoestring (used idiomatically: yes)
Whether it 's to reward ourselves for an achievement , or to lift our spirits , many women find little can compete with the rustle of tissue paper and the thrill of slipping into a pristine new outfit . All of us probably envy the ability of Imelda , Ivana , Diana and co to indulge themselves with a glorious shopping spree whenever the desire grips them . But , increasingly , with the availability of easy credit , it 's possible to shop till you drop on a shoestring salary . ‘ Buy now , pay later,’ the banks exhort us . For a number of shopaholics , however , that price turns out to be dizzyingly high — when shopping turns from a pleasure , or an occasional treat , into an uncontrollable obsession that chomps its way through the bank account , with sometimes disastrous effects .
Idiom: beat the rap (used idiomatically: yes)
The worst thing that happened to diesel recently is the allegation of carcinogenic properties . It is argued that diesel fumes contain microscopic particles of sticky carbon , on to which are attracted carcinogens that can enter the lungs . While this is true , there are ways of minimising the problem , and eliminating it by altering the balance of the combustion in the diesel for the first , and by putting a particulate trap into the exhaust pipe for the second . As petrol is beating the stigma of carrying lead , so diesel must beat the particulate rap . The problem with trying to reduce particulates is that it has a trade - off in higher nitrogen oxides ( NOx ) produced , which are frowned upon in environmental legislation in the U.S. and EC . The other pay - off with the diesel engine is between the same high levels of NOx and the fuel efficiency ; if you reduce the NOx level , there is a commensurate improvement in fuel economy .
Idiom: come to a head (used idiomatically: yes)
Lucy Keane , defending , said the tragedy arose from the mother 's unhappy childhood and adolescence and the unhappy relationship she had which resulted in the birth of her son . She had also had other family difficulties and this led her to feel increasingly depressed and isolated , and to her abuse of alcohol and drugs . Matters then came to a head and after dropping her baby the mother was distraught about what she had done to her child . Since being in Carstairs she had seen the baby twice and the visits had gone well and social workers hoped to continue this . Now the baby is in foster care and the mother has responded well to treatment she was given at the hospital .
Idiom: catch a cold (used idiomatically: yes)
This visit , too , became an annual event — Eliot enjoyed the quiet of his mother - in - law 's home , and Mrs Fletcher in turn was much taken by what she called the " virginal " quality of her son - in - law . The Northern air , in the countryside around Leeds , seemed to revive him and , in the company of his new family , he grew to love the area . On his return to London in June , however , he caught a cold which aggravated his emphysema and his doctor advised him to go once more to Brighton in order to recuperate . When Craft and Stravinsky visited him in the autumn of this year , Craft has recorded how he looked " younger and livelier " than he had before , but that he seemed"to think of himself as a hoary ancient with little time left . " I can not accept lectures , " he told his guests , " because the people who pay for them expect me to attend cocktail parties at which I am caught between someone wanting to know what I think of existentialism and someone asking me what I really meant by such - and - such a line " .
Idiom: turn a blind eye (used idiomatically: yes)
For this reason , the years 1559 to 1625 need to be viewed as a distinct religious period , during the course of which the Elizabethan church founded in 1559 gradually came to acquire a deep hold on the affections of the English people . James worked closely with his bishops , and in particular with George Abbot , whom he appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 1611 . By turning a blind eye to the activities of moderate Puritan laymen and clergy while at the same time dealing harshly with Presbyterian extremists , king and archbishop ensured that the first fifteen years of Abbot 's primacy were some of the most tranquil in the religious sphere during the entire century following the break with Rome ( see Chapter 7 ) . The absence of serious internal religious discontent during these years is illustrated by the lack of parliamentary concern . Even during the later years of the reign , when Europe was embroiled in the early stages of the Thirty Years ' War and James 's MPs were calling for active English intervention on behalf of Protestants abroad , there were very few complaints in parliament about the state of religion at home .
Idiom: out of pocket (used idiomatically: yes)
He reads Sunny Jim his rights . Sam knows fucking Miranda by heart . But he loves the bit when he takes the card out of his pocket . Sunny Jim says zip . Sam puts the card back in his pocket .
Idiom: on the shelf (used idiomatically: yes)
In Edinburgh Haynes 's time was running out , and his attention shifting elsewhere . His relationship with the Traverse , rarely tranquil , was breaking down , with Haynes 's suggestion that the theatre open a London base meeting with strong opposition . The bookshop was still open , and now , in addition to the paperbacks , the little magazines , and the Village Voice , the new wave of American papers was beginning to appear on the shelves . The American papers were an inspiration to people like John Lloyd , as they were to the group gathering 400 miles down the A1 . With two of his friends , Alan Hamilton and Alan Jackson , Lloyd would visit Jim Haynes in his flat above the Traverse .
Idiom: clutch at straws (used idiomatically: yes)
Altogether Eliot , who later offered his services to the Ministry of Information , which was founded on 5 September , two days after the outbreak of war , believed that a great deal could meanwhile be done by way of the spoken and written word . He hoped that I could undertake something in that line , especially in relation to Italy : for I had been giving him my impressions of the visit to Rome , which included encountering at close quarters , Mussolini , Count Ciano , and Edda his wife , and the by comparison rather puny Neville Chamberlain . I told him again how I had been reinforced in my belief that , whereas Germany seemed intent on war , Italy , while verbally identifying herself with the Axis , would clutch at any straw to evade participation , and that our policy should be to keep her out of it with every means in our power . I could see that he was sceptical of our diplomatic capacity to do so ; and when , later , Chamberlain despatched a female relation to ' negotiate ' with Mussolini , it became clear that his misgivings were justified . In fact , Hitler and Mussolini signed a ten - year Pact on 22 May 1939 .
Idiom: clear the decks (used idiomatically: no)
We did have them , for County Hall had sent us the list of these hospitals and their separate functions . Old Windsor , Berks , would take medical cases , Shenfield would take shocked soldiers and Queen Mary , Roehampton , burns . So off they went and the decks were really cleared for action . And of course , come it did . Red Cross ambulances came in with bedraggled soldats Francaises .
Idiom: round the bend (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Something the matter?’ asked a sleepy voice . ‘ Yeah , Mick , Yeah . I 'm going round the bend.’ I did without tea — a case of having to . Before setting off , when all had been packed away , I unwittingly slipped my clip - on sun - glasses into my back pocket .
Idiom: break the bank (used idiomatically: yes)
He glanced at his gold Rolex watch . ‘ At this present moment they are engaged in a fully comprehensive training course using the systems run by the local college , on which I took the liberty of enrolling them . I had no choice under the circumstances , and the fees wo n't exactly break the bank . Does that answer you?’ Stein 's grey eyes mocked Stephen , who had enormous difficulty in controlling his desire to wipe the look of triumph from the manager 's arrogant face .
Idiom: play with fire (used idiomatically: yes)
By STEVE BALE EACH new indignity in the heap visited on Welsh rugby seems worse than the last . The selectors knew they were playing with fire when they decided to arrange a couple of club fixtures and they have duly been consumed in a conflagration of their own making . The New Zealanders , appropriately garbed in funereal black , arrive next week to scatter the ashes . On and off the field the national game of the Land of Song is in a discordant mess .
Idiom: over the hill (used idiomatically: no)
Then when we fuss and do things for them which they can quite capably do for themselves , we do nothing but contribute to their fear . But the worst silence of all is when we take it for granted that they know how much they are still appreciated and that the calloused hands or fingers are symbols to us of the love and caring poured into our lives . If we can not tell our love to them , then there will be no vision or angels or heavenly choirs over the hill country beyond the window of these islands this Christmas . Last Christmas my old friend Joseph had sunk lower in his chair from the year before but in the afternoon three old friends came to see him . They each brought him a present — a book about the old Great Northern Railway , a box of American tobacco and a half bottle of his favourite whisky .
Idiom: dead wood (used idiomatically: yes)
By comparison with that of insects , sloth herbivory there is low : about 0.63 % of leaf production , but some ‘ modal’ trees , targeted by sloths can lose as much as 7.7 % and one tree suffered 20 % loss . Sloth faeces , estimated to contain half the leaf material , are returned to the ground around the trees : the three - toed sloth actually buries them ! The largest living lemur , Indri indri , weighs 9 kg and lives in the Madagascar rain forests , feeding mainly on leaves , 40–70 % of sightings being of buds and young leaves being eaten , though fruits , seeds , dead wood and earth ( possibly involved in improving the physical texture of the food ) are also taken . Spider monkeys ( A teles geoffreyi ) on Barro Colorado Island eat leaves , which account for about 20 % of their fresh weight intake and provide most of their protein , notable being the protein - rich young shoots of Poulsenia armata ( Moraceae ) and Ceiba pentandra ( Bombacaceae ) , which has 25.3 % dry weight protein , and Cecropia leaves , especially their petioles , which have high mineral content . Leaves make up 15 % wet weight of the diet of the omnivorous white - throated capuchin monkey ( Cebus capucinus ) on Barro Colorado Island .
Idiom: go west (used idiomatically: no)
Go east descending a spur on a well used track , with little rock steps to reach the track at Afon Lloer . Follow this track over a stile heading south . Descend to meet the footpath going west on the north side of Llyn Ogwen to reach the A5 . Turn left onto the path to each the tea hut at Ogwen ( 649 603 ) . Recommended by HF Holidays .
Idiom: fight fire with fire (used idiomatically: yes)
The focus came from lighted candles ( outside the War Office in 1991 , on a Prague students ' grave in 1991 , in every blacked - out Polish window in 1980 ) , rather than crosswires and scanners . Jennings compared Strains of War with an earlier exhibition of print works by women artists , including the Guerrilla Girls , held by Bookworks . New York 's Guerrilla Girls ( and their slightly embarrassing English imitators Sweet Fanny Adams ) try to fight fire with fire and porn with porn . By imitating the language of the powerful , with however subversive an intent , they in fact pay homage to it . To me as a woman they are as depressing an example as the Duchess of Finchley .
Idiom: out to lunch (used idiomatically: yes)
We 're going ahead with a divorce on the grounds of adultery.’ Despite the break - up , Mary still celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary earlier this week . She said : ‘ I went out to lunch with friends and we shared a bottle of champagne . At night we went to a restaurant . But Stewart was n't there.’
Idiom: part of the furniture (used idiomatically: yes)
FOR FAR too long , glasses have been a matter of seeing well rather than looking good . The idea of using this matter - of - fact item as a matter of fashion has been slow to catch on in this country . Rather like watches , they were practical , part of the furniture and so we wore the same one for all occasions . Which meant that the one we wore , in an attempt to suit every style , suited none of them . Either it was neutral — all purposes — and a guaranteed damper on a special outfit ; or it was fun — zany — and over - the - top for everyday .
Idiom: hands down (used idiomatically: no)
Vincent looked towards Lily , who raised her eyes and looked back at him sadly . Her mind was full of fears about his future . What decisions , made arbitrarily and in anger , would be handed down to him in the morning ? What would happen to him if he were sent packing ? With his head lowered , Vincent walked out and padded heavily up the stairs .
Idiom: join the club (used idiomatically: yes)
No I mean you have to wonder I mean they all joined the club but Sue used to mm , anyway not only that one Emma erm been she do n't want to go to college or something new and erm she 's doing something , must be finals I would think , think it must be finals and er Sue said to her well should she pack up
Idiom: one and the same (used idiomatically: yes)
And as for those alter - egos , his trade name ‘ Samuel Northcliffe’ still cropped up in the financial and marketing press . He was a member of syndicates involved in leveraged buy - outs , he was a prominent Lloyd 's underwriter , he was a consultant for this corporation and an adviser to that emirate . But when I concentrated on the postage - stamp - sized photographs bearing his name that had started to appear , I could no longer be certain that he and The Fat Controller were one and the same . It seemed far more likely that , as Dr Gyggle suggested , I had become aware of Samuel Northcliffe separately and incorporated information I had gleaned from the newspapers into my fantasy . Dr Gyggle was n't satisfied with my progress .
Idiom: grind to a halt (used idiomatically: yes)
While speed of thought and deed will be the name of the game 1992-style , rugby union worldwide has 12 months in which to decide whether controversial alterations to ruck and maul are workable . The other changes , including five points for a try instead of four , are mandatory next season — or , as far as Australia , South Africa and New Zealand are concerned , in mid - season , including incoming tours if the visiting country agree . The law - makers , roundly condemned by Brian Moore , England 's hooker , on the nonsensical grounds that they have not played for 40 years , have decided that when a maul — ball in hand — grinds to a halt , or the ball becomes unplayable , the team not in possession at the start of the maul should put the ball into an ensuing scrum . The ruck — ball on the ground — attracts the same experimental variation except when the referee is unable to determine the team responsible . The five members of the IRB 's laws committee sifted more than 300 proposals and amendments covering 78 closely typed pages .
Idiom: in the dock (used idiomatically: yes)
Now , with its near neighbour the yacht club , it caters for nautical types of the amateur sort who enjoy messing about in boats . Appropriately the dining room seems to rise almost directly out of the water . Wycliffe shared a table with a merchant captain whose ship was in dock , a quiet spoken man on the verge of retirement . He had a cottage in the Cotswolds waiting for him and his wife to move in . ' What will you do — in retirement , I mean ? '
Idiom: in broad daylight (used idiomatically: yes)
What ? Oh , she restores pictures . Before they left I could not forbear to draw Gillian closer and impart to her the glittering counsel that wearing 501s with trainers was frankly un désastre and that I was amazed she had walked the streets to my apartment in broad daylight and escaped pillory . ‘ Tell me,’ she replied . ‘ You don't … ’
Idiom: fly the flag (used idiomatically: yes)
He says it 's one of the worst cases he 's seen . The mortgage company do n't stand to gain anything if the houyse is repossessed . But tonight the family were flying a union flag outside their home . They say they wo n't leave without a fight . He said his father did all the work on the house after he bought it .