Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: buy time (used idiomatically: yes)
At present , the region acts as a clearing house and Lothian region gives the college a great deal of autonomy . But once the new proposals are implemented , school work will be funded and we will face either the impossible position of teachers being paid for doing nothing or the arrangements will cease to exist . Chris Nixon said that he could not envisage the school buying college time unless the college could buy school time . Theoretically , doubtless the colleges can buy school time , but in practice , as all my colleagues know , it is impractical to do so . I am sorry , I forgot that I made one more telephone call — to Mr. Sellars , the Lothian region 's further education expert .
Idiom: throw in the towel (used idiomatically: yes)
An economy that had been virtually self - contained for 20 years after 1945 suddenly found itself severely tested by international competition . The anomaly is this . Though America 's economic hegemony ended 20 years ago , the consequences of this were little appreciated within America , for the country 's military and geopolitical power went unchallenged until 1989–91 , when its old enemy threw in the towel . The fact that the cold war lasted so much longer than the economic idyll meant that Americans never adjusted to the fact that , economically , their country had long ceased to be able to deliver the annual increase in prosperity they had come to consider a birthright . Bill Clinton ( who has thought these things through ) might have tried to persuade them of this .
Idiom: claim to fame (used idiomatically: yes)
The equipment , which is driven by belts , was originally powered by steam but is now operated by electricity . Dangerfield has earned itself a distinguished place in the history of British textile production . Its other main claim to fame is that it is credited with inventing the word tweed to describe the famous cloth first made in the area . The coarse , heavy fabric was originally known as tweel . But , in the early days of production on the site , an order sent off from the mill to London was accidentally read and returned as tweed .
Idiom: poor as a church mouse (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Touch my toes a few times first . Better keep fit as a fiddle and ready for anything.’ ‘ I hope there 's a fat cheque in the posh otherwise I shall be as poor as a church mouse . That 'll be a fine kettle of fish and no mistake.’ Sources
Idiom: pecking order (used idiomatically: yes)
Nevertheless the SATS , however elegant the design , will of course be liable to the same dangers . The cause after all lies not in the nature of the test but in the context of its use , and if the pay of the teachers ( or more likely the viability of the school ) depends on the results , there will be a temptation to massage the outcome . Moreover , the inevitability of pecking orders for children and institutions presupposed by such a market index of comparative performance will render less propitious the circumstances for learning , for those children who , through no fault of their own , are in a school which is perceived by the articulate watchers of the school results index to be failing . For failure will beget failure . There is one more point which demands notice in the design of assessment — namely its untried novelty .
Idiom: night and day (used idiomatically: yes)
He too was worried ; not for himself because he , as a prisoner - of - war , was protected by the Geneva Convention , but for the nuns and me and everyone else with whom he had come into contact . But the Germans were quicker than any of us . Somehow they had found out that there was a prisoner in the hospital and Eric suddenly found himself with a guard of three carabinieri who were ordered to watch over him night and day and never let him out of their sight until arrangements could be made to send him to Germany . By the following morning my father and the doctor had made a plan for his escape . At ten o'clock that same night , while Suor Eusebia was engaging the carabinieri in conversation , he would have to get out of one of the upper windows of the building and slide down a drainpipe .
Idiom: play games (used idiomatically: yes)
Yeah , can play snap . I put the same cards oh and we can play . Well , I wo n't , I 'll play one game with you and then I 'll go and get your tea alright ? So . I got some more rolls , so I 'll put them in er big bag straight away , yeah .
Idiom: man of god (used idiomatically: yes)
The bright evening skies that had served as a backdrop for the parade of revenants had been blotted out by a darkness which entombed them once more in the grave of the past . But as the priest stood at his study window , fingers joined in thanksgiving to the night sky for his release from the bitter - sweet torture of reliving what was dead and gone , his mind quailed before his new dilemma . He was a man of God — and a man of God was surely a man of peace . His whole inclination was against the violence all around him and against the insurrection it bred . Not that he did n't know its history — he had been part of it , if only as a silent witness of his brothers ' refusal to join the Fenian organisation which had started trying to recruit the young men of their day .
Idiom: stay the course (used idiomatically: yes)
Apparently an ideal climatic site . But you 'll discover all about the place if you read it.’ Clearly he hardly believed that she would stay the course . She wondered if he himself had survived it . She closed the little book between her palms , and put it away in her handbag .
Idiom: ride roughshod over (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ There 's no need to adopt that tone of voice . This place is n't run just for your benefit , you know . I 've had enough of men just thinking they can ride roughshod over … ’ ‘ Look , I 'm really truly sorry , Iris , but this is important.’ I smiled my best smile down the line .
Idiom: tie the knot (used idiomatically: yes)
Neither do I. Tradition is being manufactured at breakneck pace . Perhaps it 's because so many people are opting not to bother . The wedding industry has to get as much cash as possible out of the remaining couples who choose to tie the knot with the blessing of God and every florist in Britain . They are all here today . The bakers of wedding cakes and purveyors of finest Champagne .
Idiom: pecking order (used idiomatically: yes)
Mozart was ordered to join him in Vienna immediately . There he was forcibly reminded of the humiliation of his situation . He , who had been fêted in Munich , had talked with the elector and other noblemen , and been treated with the respect due to a great artist , now had to take his place in the archiepiscopal pecking - order — below the valets , and only slightly higher than the cooks . He was obliged to eat with the servants , and was completely at the archbishop 's beck and call . Not surprisingly , the rebellious streak in his nature surfaced , and he started to behave with studied rudeness .
Idiom: out to lunch (used idiomatically: yes)
I bought a nice wedge yesterday . Plenty if you want it . I 'm going out to lunch myself.’ With Chris , of course . ‘ Just the wine.’
Idiom: let sleeping dogs lie (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I see.’ And if her grandfather had agreed , who was she to say different ? Best to let sleeping dogs lie . ‘ Is that what those letters were ? You writing to ask what you should do?’
Idiom: face to face (used idiomatically: yes)
Yes , but then do all , all costing forms have to on the same colour ? Yeah . Because at the moment we have different costing forms on different colours so as to know , to differentiate between post or telephone , face - to - face and so on . Ah , colour is used to mean something else . Erm , true .
Idiom: at the crossroads (used idiomatically: yes)
Animal Rights : What 's in a Name ? Tom Regan Organised efforts to protect other animals are at an historic crossroads . Never before have so many joined in the struggle to bring significant improvements to their lives . Our numbers and shared values are making a difference in the political process , in the marketplace , in the classroom , even — on some occasions , thanks in large part to the indefatigable work of Andrew Linzey — in places of worship .
Idiom: take a leaf out of someone's book (used idiomatically: yes)
Hyundai Electronic America 's Axil Workstations Inc is bent on conquering the slippery slopes of Sun Microsystems Inc Sparc cloning , and last week announced the Axil-220 , a MicroSparc knock - off of the Sparc Classic undercutting Sun by pricing it at $ 3,600 in single quantities and letting it run Solaris 1.1 as well as 2 . x. It says it is the lowest priced RISC colour workstation in the industry . The San Jose , California - based outfit Axil is taking a leaf out of Compaq Computer Corp 's book and will only sell through resellers under the direction of sales and marketing vice president Dan Shaver who recently left a job with Sun as director of its channels strategy . The street price it put on the box is only a ballpark figure ( a 10 % -15 % differential ) and it will not reveal its dealer discounts . Axil will also configure the machine to look like a Sun LX , the Classic 's $ 8,000 big brother and price it around $ 7,000 .
Idiom: every nook and cranny (used idiomatically: yes)
It must also be said that they were not alone in their efforts to secure the Francoist state against those it branded as " anti - Spain " . The official party , FET y de las JONS , set up its own intelligence brigade , which acted in parallel with the secret police run from the Ministry of the Interior . The Party 's tentacles reached into every nook and cranny of people 's lives , leaving them little room for manoeuvre and none whatsoever for criticism of the regime . In the rural areas , every village had someone who acted as the Party boss and who , in collaboration with the Civil Guard , kept the local populace under observation . In the towns and cities , every block of flats had a Party representative , who reported to an area controller , who , in turn , was responsible to a district officer .
Idiom: turn heads (used idiomatically: yes)
As there were lights on the backs of these boxes , the cars did not have stairhead lamps . Like Nos . 36–45 , they had B.T - H. ' B/2 ' type trolley masts whose heads could be turned through a full circle . These cars ran on Brill 22E bogies , a well tried design with the driving wheels nearest the ends of the car in the conventional manner . Axle - boxes were of the ' Empire ' roller bearing design with circular covers .
Idiom: hold someone's hand (used idiomatically: yes)
And the Pergolese largo enhancing the enchanted dusk with sparse fluidity , unearthly serenity , When I behold the body … And Lucy . Now holding her hand like a shy and trusting child . They were in the foyer of a country hotel . Signing a book .
Idiom: think the world of (used idiomatically: yes)
at that ! Oh yes ! Er and they thought of , I mean they thought the world of their their animals and but Yes . er when you were in the trade like mine if you did n't do a good job the man never come back to you , there was a , there was a blacksmith farrier in every village !
Idiom: foot the bill (used idiomatically: yes)
University steps up pressure over dental hospital By Douglas Fraser Education Correspondent EDINBURGH University is to press the Scottish Office to foot the bill for forced redundancies resulting from the alleged broken promise of a replacement for the city 's dental hospital . The principal , Sir David Smith , yesterday stepped up the pressure in the row over ministerial pledges , as the university court agreed to go ahead with up to 28 sackings . ‘ We have had endless fair words for 20 years , finally succeeded by stony - faced inactivity,’ said Sir David .
Idiom: in the offing (used idiomatically: yes)
According to Neuron Data , IBM will be using Open Interface to develop front - ends for software which it will offer across a range of platforms , including AIX , OS/2 , Windows NT and Macintosh . The two year deal took nine months to negotiate , according to Neuron Data chairman and chief executive officer Patrick Perez , and is worth a little more than the company 's entire turnover for the month of December last year — see below . Perez says his company also has a deal with American Management Systems Inc , Arlington , Virginia , in the offing . AMS , in which IBM has a 10 % stake , will be revamping its mainframe software for a range of environments using Open Interface . Ironically AMS was home to Neuron Data competitor Visix Software Inc until Visix was spun out as a separate concern back in 1988 .
Idiom: to the max (used idiomatically: yes)
Those vibes are negatory , Rog.’ ‘ I 'm sure you can get on top of it.’ ‘ That 's a charlie A - One breeze - from - the - freeze affirmative - to - the - max topside positive situation in the black column roger , Roger,’ Manolo chirruped . ‘ You mean yes?’ Manolo looked hurt .
Idiom: no time like the present (used idiomatically: yes)
Quick , let 's get started on the project proposal while the idea is still fresh in our minds . There 's no time like the present .
Idiom: do the trick (used idiomatically: yes)
Getting angry did n't work . Nor did solicitor 's letters and a visit from the company 's credit controller . What did do the trick was getting its staff to ring the creditor every 30 seconds for an entire day , then beginning again at eight the following morning . The recalcitrant firm , dependent on telephone selling , could n't afford to have its lines tied up and waved the white flag together with a cheque . HONEYSETT
Idiom: twist the knife (used idiomatically: no)
But people will look back and say this speech started the process.’ In his reply , Mr Major ducked answering Mr Lamont 's central attack against his style of government , and his limp and lacklustre speech plunged the Tories into gloom . To add to Mr Major 's troubles , new Chancellor Kenneth Clarke the probable heir apparent upstaged him , while Labour leader John Smith twisted the knife more deeply with a performance that even Tory MPs privately praised . Mr Smith mocked Mr Major that he knew of the ‘ menace of the men in grey suits . After all , he was the beneficiary of their deadly manoeuvres against his predecessor .
Idiom: get to the bottom of (used idiomatically: yes)
Robin 's mum , Shirley , likes peace and quiet in the lounge — at least sometimes — so a large , powerful pump with a regulator was chosen . The noise of the pump can be reduced by reducing the output using the regulator , giving a quieter result than a small pump running flat out . The fluorescent tube was fitted with a reflector to get the maximum possible light to the bottom of the tank which , at 18″ , is deeper than many , and should look very impressive when planted . Decor We chose two nice pieces of bogwood for decor at this stage , as they would need soaking before use .
Idiom: in business (used idiomatically: yes)
The anglers returned triumphant , with a beautiful , silver basket of six fine trout . I was as pleased with the sights and sounds of my day — treasured memories . Bank fishing is verboten on Strathbeg because of the importance to nesting birds of surrounding marsh - lands , privacy being essential when engaged in the serious business of propitiating species . Fishing is from boats only , but outboard motors are allowed . Welcome relief on this exposed , often windy water .
Idiom: seal of approval (used idiomatically: yes)
CTC is a feedstock for CFCs and the plant was due to close end of March in line with C&P 's policy to phase out CFC production by 1995 . A Royal seal of approval Teesside ecologists Ken Smith and Bob Walters received the royal seal of approval for their environmental training work . Prince charles presented them with three accolades — including his special patron 's award — at the National Training Awards organised by the Department of Employment . Data to be made available on ICI wastes
Idiom: in the pipeline (used idiomatically: yes)
Mr Beregovoy is expected to approve proposals for a Gallic form of personal equity plans in the next few weeks which would allow French investors up to £ 60,000 worth of shares each , free of dividend and capital gains tax . The plans are a variation on an earlier form of PEPs which restricted investors to bonds and insurance plans . A stream of new money flowing into the country 's stock market from both individual investors — the tax perks are not available to foreign buyers — and reforms also in the pipeline to the French pension industry are prompting hopes of a surge in the Paris bourse . ‘ Paris is below its historic high , there are no further elections until 1993 and there will be increased liquidity from the new Plans d'Epargne . A lot of people have also sold their Perrier shares following the Nestle bid , so a lot of money could go into blue chips’ , says Thierry Flama at BZW Puget - Mahe in Paris .
Idiom: lift a finger (used idiomatically: yes)
Emma Lyon , who made her way up the social scale by similar means , would have found herself in prison earlier had it not been for the lifeline thrown to her by her friends and former lovers . But by the end she chose to overplay her hand and lost the sympathy of those who could have saved her from her last indignities — though perhaps not from the bottle . None of the Establishment lifted a finger to save William Cobbett from what they considered he well deserved . He was taken to the same King 's Bench Prison in June 1810 to await his trial , not for debt but seditious libel in The Political Register . He certainly owed money but none of his creditors needed to obtain a writ to have him confined when the Government had arrested him for them .
Idiom: game on (used idiomatically: yes)
Prompted by a return to international competition , drug tests on two players from each Currie Cup side were introduced this season , just as they were during the World Cup . Two players tested positive in the first two months and since then speculation , rumours , rows and ructions have been the order of the day . Eastern Province flanker ELANDRE VAN DEN BERG and Transvaal prop BALIE SWART were the two who tested positive , the former after the Test Union day on April 25th and the latter after the Transvaal v Western Province game on May 16th . They denied taking steroids knowingly , citing a supposed vitamin injection and a French doctor 's treatment as the probable causes . As with Ben Johnson most South Africans smirked openly at these revelations .
Idiom: warts and all (used idiomatically: yes)
If you tell a good story in the pub , use this ability when appropriate to entertain at work ( during presentations , for instance . Some people , though , use humour constantly to avoid issues — see Chapter Five — and someone who does this will end up being regarded as class buffoon . ) Let people know who you are , warts and all . Maintain an overview on your job and your personal goals , and regularly appraise progress . Is it taking you in the right direction ?
Idiom: fall short (used idiomatically: yes)
There 's a very simple reason for the scotching of the Scots . Comparing the performance of Scottish companies still locally controlled with those of the 250 largest UK - owned plcs in the relevant sectors shows that Scottish firms must plead guilty to underperformance . Return on total assets is 1.53 % less , profit margins are 0.5 % less and sales per employee fall short by £ 12,631 of their UK rivals ( see table 2 ) . The result is that Scottish firms are likely to remain targets for their lean and acquisitive English cousins , unless they can learn to ‘ make their assets sweat’ . After all , if they do n't , somebody else will be sure to do so .
Idiom: come to terms with (used idiomatically: yes)
He reached abruptly across the table and placed one hand over hers . ‘ No one can go on forever . I came to terms with that long before the accident . All it meant was that my career came to an end slightly ahead of schedule.’ A shadow swooped across his face and vanished .
Idiom: in the bag (used idiomatically: yes)
Here I go . Scenes from my childhood flashed before my eyes . Then I remembered the £ 500-worth of photographic gear in my fishing bag , and the thought of damaging that galvanised me into action . I managed , with difficulty , to struggle upright , my nose just clearing the surface . I still had the rod , gripped vice - like ; and , miraculously , the trout was still on , reel still screaming in anger .
Idiom: hold the ring (used idiomatically: yes)
She felt her finger being bent against the joint , the vicious twist as he wrenched the ring free . She fell back hard against the wall and shut her eyes , her head full of the young man 's odour . When she opened them , the wedding ring was held before her as Shamlou shone the torchlight on it . ' Your husband must be a very rich man to give you such a ring , ' he said , turning it between his thumb and forefinger . ' It even has a stone inset .
Idiom: rank and file (used idiomatically: yes)
It called for " communists , party organizations and their committees " to decide . President Mikhail Gorbachev , commenting on the letter in a speech to a meeting of Komsomol ( Young Communist League ) activists in Moscow on April 10 , stated that it should not be regarded as a call for a party purge , but that people at odds with CPSU policy should leave the party voluntarily . However , at a session of the Komsomol 's 21st congress on April 16 CPSU central committee ideology secretary Vadim Medvedev read out a central committee resolution which called for the expulsion from the CPSU of Democratic Platform leaders , albeit not those rank - and - file communists whom they had " led astray " . A central committee official on April 12 reportedly speculated that the Democratic Platform commanded the support of nearly one - third of CPSU members . Reaction by Democratic Platform leaders — Expulsions and resignations from CPSU
Idiom: face to face (used idiomatically: yes)
It is possible to go to Lourdes as a tourist without being a pilgrim , and that is all I can decently do here . I would not care to go there as a tourist in the season of pilgrims , however , because then the sense of one 's impertinence would surely be too strong . As it is , going to Lourdes out of season , in the late autumn or winter , brings one even more starkly face to face with what the Catholic Belloc calls this supernatural place 's ' detestable earthly adjuncts ' . They are the more detestable for having temporarily lost their reason for existence : that is to say , shops full of a disastrous religious trinketry no longer have any customers to sell it to , and whole street - fuls of hotels and pensions are all of them closed until the following spring , making parts of the town seem gloomily abandoned . The whole point of Lourdes comes out as you walk down from the centre of the town towards the river and the Cité Religieuse on the far bank .
Idiom: rub shoulders (used idiomatically: yes)
We were now face to face with this man of diverse talent — poet , novelist , song - writer , performer — after following his career for nearly two decades , reading his books , playing his records , watching him sing , reading of him through the eyes of his critics — no easy feat when one is not inhibited by astigmatism ! There is no ‘ side’ to him . He who had performed for royalty , dined with national presidents , rubbed shoulders with the greatest names in the world of art and theatre , film and music , became a delightful companion and — it was never absent — a solicitous host . The 60 or so hours he put at our disposal fled by . Our questions ranged far and wide and his courtesy and patience turned them into an intriguing trail of discovery which was endlessly fascinating and richly rewarding , for he is also a natural raconteur .