Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: on the stump (used idiomatically: yes)
It was a white man in middle age , dressed in a light beige suit . The tissues , especially around the torso , looked puffy and bloated as the cells within decayed into methane and other gases . There were already colonies of maggots at work on the body , particularly , the Doctor noticed , on the stump of the right wrist , and on the hand which was severed and lay a couple of feet away . Why cut off one hand ? the Doctor wondered , before the reason struck him : the man must have carried a briefcase or similar object cuffed to his wrist , and his assailants had n't been willing to expend time on subtleties like lockpicking . Grimacing in distaste , the Doctor lifted the man 's jacket aside to reach into the inside pocket , the flesh underneath giving way with the unnatural softness of rotting fruit .
Idiom: come of age (used idiomatically: yes)
The alternative , if it is contemplated that fees will be incurred during the life of the trust , is to take a separate deed of covenant from the husband and the wife , or either of them , whereby they or one of them agree to discharge the fees concerned . ( iv ) Infants — If a child ( or children ) of husband and wife is to be a beneficiary at the end of the trust and is likely to be an infant at that time , the trustees should perhaps be given power to pay the child 's share of the proceeds to the parent or guardian . The Trustee Act 1925 , ss31 - 32 , should be extended ( see Williams on Wills 6th edn , Butterworths , 1987 , vol 2 , p1267 and 1275 ) if monies are to be retained until such child or children come of age , so that the trustees have flexibility in their use of both income and capital of a child 's share of the trust fund , as should the power of investment so that it is not limited by the Trustee Investments Act 1961 . ( v ) Insurance — Section 19(1 ) of the Trustee Act 1925 limits a trustee 's power to insure to insurance against fire to three - quarters of the value of the property ; as the trustees will probably not have any cash , the occupier wife should be made responsible for insurance . ( see p106 ) . 7 Where the property is subject to a mortgage
Idiom: come unstuck (used idiomatically: yes)
Though over thirty years had passed , he could still remember how his first major role for the Oxford University Dramatic Society had been greeted by an undergraduate critic ( who , incidentally , later became a particularly malevolent Minister of Health and Social Security ) : ' Charles Paris had a brave stab at the part , but unfortunately it did not survive his attack . ' On the Wednesday matinee , when the house was minimal and so was the cast 's concentration , Charles came rather unstuck with his deaf - aid . To be honest , it was n't his fault . Or it was n't completely his fault .
Idiom: get the picture (used idiomatically: yes)
erm There was one particularly noted filmmaker , a man called George Albert Smith , who worked in Brighton , but there were others too , there was a man called John Bennett Stanford and another called Esmé Collings . And Brighton , strange as it may seem , became , in Britain , one of the small pioneer centres where these first movies were made . Now one has to get this picture into some sort of perspective against , as I said , the big films of today . These men , all of them , were people who first of all were devoted to their cameras . Some of them actually made their own cameras , and even more strangely , used the cameras to project the films after they had made them .
Idiom: by heart (used idiomatically: yes)
High morale , high impulsion , high shock — victory!’ Thump on the table —‘Victory!’ He made us all learn it by heart . At bayonet - drill . Vic - tor - ee !
Idiom: with a will (used idiomatically: yes)
However , the overwhelming reality today is that the Book Trade is highly professional , commercial , competitive , flexible and increasingly computer literate . It has been an almost Darwinian process , of course , with those failing to shrug off the stereotype simply going out of business and removing themselves from the genetic pool . The pattern of change has lead in recent years to the growth of large book retailing groups , some with a ready will to diversify into other product ranges . In the Netherlands , Wolters - Kluwer Bookshops are extending their range of book stocks with up to 100 CD - ROM titles and have appointed a new media adviser to help them plan future developments . In the UK , W.H. Smiths , once consisting of a modest number of bookselling outlets , is now one of Europe 's largest retail chains , aggressively selling a wide range of non - print products , including satellite television services , computer software , audio CDs and other technology - related items .
Idiom: make the cut (used idiomatically: yes)
It costs about £ 2.40 from DIY stores . 1 Remove nozzle and cut end of cartridge . Trim the nozzle tip to give the required sealant width , making the cut at 45 ° ( do not throw away the nozzle tip ) 2 Push down the clutch plate ( a ) and draw back the piston rod ( b ) 3 Insert the cartridge , nozzle end first .
Idiom: dressed to the nines (used idiomatically: yes)
' Did you say ten past four ? ' she said weakly , and after a quick nod he was striding down the corridor , to disappear through the swing door that marked the boundary of the endocrine ward 's domain . CHAPTER TWO ' Well , you 're all dressed up to the nines ! ' Belinda flinched as she saw who it was that had come out of the lift and addressed her . Deana Davenport , of course , and her catty comment had been somewhat inaccurate .
Idiom: cross my heart (used idiomatically: yes)
' Course I will , old boy , course I will . Scout 's honour . Cross my heart . ' ' Oh , and I have got a note on — ' ' Got to go . '
Idiom: up a tree (used idiomatically: yes)
Although they moved stealthily on Devraux 's instructions , great flocks of black parrots rose from the tops of the trees as they passed below , darkening the sky and filling the air with the sustained applause of their flapping wings . Armies of monkeys marching through the jungle roof on swinging arms took fright , too , when they saw the little file of humans and they fled chattering through the upper branches almost as speedily as the birds . Every few minutes Jacques Devraux sent his trackers up the taller trees to scan the plain on the other side of the river , but each time they descended shaking their heads . None of the watering places they visited showed any signs of fresh tracks , and no animals were sighted in the first hour . As the sun rose higher in the pale sky the temperature climbed steeply and patches of perspiration began to appear on the backs of the men 's shirts .
Idiom: get off the ground (used idiomatically: yes)
Long Beach , which succeeded Watkins Glen as an American F1 venue , eventually gave up the world formula for the more local Cart . Detroit , which remains on the calendar , often seems much more a social event than a real race . New York and Dallas both failed to get off the ground , either financially or politically . Mario 's living , like that of many drivers , depends on their fame . As an American , what could Mario , and Mario 's sponsors , derive from FI ?
Idiom: pissed off (used idiomatically: yes)
GIVEN THAT Jacob 's Mouse have been involved in this rock ‘ n’ roll malarkey in some form or another from an age when your hack still believed a bosom was Captain Birdseye 's right hand man on the SS Fishfinger , you would , perhaps — just like the kids of Bury St Edmunds — expect Sam , Jebb and Hugo to be precocious little shits with heads as big as Frank Sidebottom 's . But , as their pint - of - water escapades suggest , you could n't get further from the truth if you said that the NHS was a financially viable concern . They admit that they get pissed off with bad gigs , not getting enough sleep and tour vans breaking down so often that they end up ‘ losing it’ and crawling over the banks of motorways looking for crisp packets . Other than that , incessant touring with the likes of Captain America and Midway Still makes them ‘ the happiest we 've ever been’ . The ( very ) old ‘ American bands get treated like gods in the UK while homegrown talent is treated like a joke’ argument is met with a smile and a calm , ‘ Yeah , but we get the advantage when we go to America,’from Hugo .
Idiom: know the score (used idiomatically: yes)
Eh ? Do n't worry about me I 'm singing mate . yeah , he knows the score . Trying to get the time to go a bit faster . Eh ?
Idiom: take the piss (used idiomatically: yes)
Maisy was a spinster , and appreciated cider almost as much as Sooty ‘ Silly old bugger,’ muttered Knocker , ‘ but he never makes any trouble , so what can I do?’ ‘ I should n't worry about it,’ Yanto replied , ‘ there 's nothing wrong with his head . Remember a couple of weeks ago when you were taking the piss out of him for being scruffy , you told him not to come in again unless he was wearing a tie . What did he do ? Came in the following Sunday morning with a tie on , no shirt or coat , just a tie .
Idiom: rank and file (used idiomatically: yes)
Overwhelmingly for economic reasons , that is to say because they were poor . In spite of the political persecutions after 1848 , political or ideological refugees formed only a small fraction of mass emigration , even in 1849–54 , though at one time the radicals among them controlled half the German - language press of the United States , which they used to denounce their country of refuge . Their rank - and - file soon settled down abroad like most non - ideological migrants transferring their revolutionary energies to the anti - slavery campaign . The flight of religious sects seeking greater freedom to pursue their often rather peculiar activities was probably less significant than in the previous half - century , if only because mid - Victorian governments held no strong views about orthodoxy as such , though probably not displeased to see the heels of the British or Danish Mormons , whose penchant for polygamy created problems . Even in eastern Europe the active anti - semitic campaigns , which were to stimulate the mass emigration of the Jews , still lay in the future .
Idiom: in the club (used idiomatically: yes)
Well yeah pick you up at twenty past nine Yeah , yeah . Meet us in the club . Cos we only go in for one drink to cel , celebrate Penny 's birthday with her . Yeah .
Idiom: ride high (used idiomatically: yes)
That is less bad than it looks ; in Tokyo , the stockmarket yields only 0.8 % these days . A glut of central bankers ? CENTRAL bankers are riding high . After years spent under the thumb of finance ministries , an increasing number have been given independence from politicians . Carlo Ciampi , governor of the Bank of Italy , has just become his country 's prime minister .
Idiom: scratch the surface (used idiomatically: yes)
It turns out that several parts of the immune system — including the lymph nodes , the spleen , the thymus gland and the bone marrow — are connected by nerve fibres to the central nervous system . Exactly what effect the nerves have on these organs is as yet unknown . So far , research into psychoneuroimmunology has done no more than scratch the surface of this potentially important topic . But it indicates that the idea of allergies affecting the mind — and vice versa— is not implausible . Food intolerance and mental symptoms
Idiom: go hand in hand (used idiomatically: yes)
By the late 1970s the state sector had become not only a harbour of inefficiency , as in many ‘ developed’ countries , but also a greenhouse of the hybrid values emerging in Africa many of which were inimical to efficient methods of low - cost production . CITIZEN ENTREPRENEURS Promotion of the state - owned sector has generally gone hand in hand with promotion of the indigenous , i.e. African , private sector , although in ‘ socialist’ countries the scope of the latter has sometimes been consciously restricted . In 1966 Nkrumah said that if he permitted African businessmen to grow [ they]will grow to the extent of becoming a rival power to his and the party 's prestige , and he would do anything to stop it .
Idiom: in a nutshell (used idiomatically: yes)
Had he been bearing a grudge against her since the previous Friday when she had pushed him against the door of Woolworth 's ? Had he singled her out or had she simply been the unfortunate rider nearest to him ? Had Pardy , in a nutshell , just been carried away and thoughtless — which might result in a lesser charge — or had he set out to harm Harriet with such deadly results that this might even finish up as a trial for manslaughter ? I 'm not a barrister , Markby thought , nor judge nor jury . But he was the first step on the path to those persons and he had to get this right !
Idiom: rock the boat (used idiomatically: yes)
so it 's keep a high profile on the , on useful things and keep a low profile on the , on the others mm , mm aye the only way of doing it , except you know , you 're known for , for all the good things , the good things you do just make certain that er we do n't rock the boat so you , so you you crawled you crawl and slave
Idiom: behind someone's back (used idiomatically: yes)
But they talk at the behind your back ! end of the day when you do something wrong they 're the first to nip in that office and say what you 've done wrong and why you 've done it wrong . Yeah , .
Idiom: claim to fame (used idiomatically: yes)
On a point of order arising from questions today and statements in the press yesterday , Mr. Speaker . It is clear that Ministers are intent on a campaign of vilification and attack on Mr. Bruce Millan , the European Commissioner responsible for regional development . Leading that charge has been the right hon . Member for Henley ( Mr. Heseltine)— that elegant nonentity whose only claim to fame was that he helped rid the nation of the right hon . Member for Finchley ( Mrs. Thatcher ) . So he has some track record . Mr. Speaker
Idiom: point the finger (used idiomatically: yes)
The school is the springboard for sport and , even if commitments are made in later years , early involvement and subsequent progress are important in launching an interest . One might suppose in reading this chapter that teachers have a lot to answer for ; after all , they are the ones who are responsible for accentuating sport by turning a vague , ill - formed image into a seemingly realistic pursuit for sporting excellence . Black kids who , in retrospect , would blame their lack of success at school on their over - indulgence in sport would point fingers of accusation at the people who encouraged them and helped sustain an interest which was later to prove nullifying in its effects . But this would be to simplify things for , as I have argued , black kids generally come from the kind of family backgrounds which are not suited for their own educational needs — for reasons which I spelled out in the last chapter , but will summarize as ' neglect ' or ' unattainable goals ' . Consequently , black youths in many instances are not keen on formal education in any case .
Idiom: out of the blue (used idiomatically: yes)
Do you allow a stream of orders ( ' You must n't ! ' , ‘ You ca n't have’ , ‘ Stop it . .. or else’)to be ignored until ‘ out of the blue’ you lash out with harsh words or actions ( perhaps ) in order to release your mounting frustration and anger ? convey ‘ messages’(wittingly or unwittingly ) by the tone of your voice and the sheer volume of criticism and attention paid to the child 's bad points that you dislike him or her ? find little time to share enjoyable moments ( e.g. play with your children ? )
Idiom: nine times out of ten (used idiomatically: yes)
Dear Guitarist After reading your article on A&R depts , I feel moved to put pen to paper . The A&R depts that we dealt with when last I was in a band ( about 18 months ago ) all seemed to consist of young men in Armani suits and long raincoats , who only stayed for the first four numbers then left . These ‘ raincoats’ were nine times out of ten the tea boys of the A&R department and were nine times out of ten a complete waste of time . Most serious bands have at some stage attracted A&R interest . This is followed by frenzied activity on the part of the band in setting up some sort of show , usually in London with all the expense that that entails , only for the big day to arrive to find that A&R have sent a tea boy ( resplendent in his raincoat ) and not the ‘ man’ .
Idiom: in the driver's seat (used idiomatically: yes)
Problem areas include where two people share the controlling of the movement and direction of the vehicle . It was held in Tyler v Whatmore [ 1976]RTR 83 that two people can actually drive the same vehicle , at the same time . Here the front seat passenger leaned across the person sitting in the driver 's seat and with both hands on the steering wheel , steered the car . The other person still controlled the propulsion . Another problem arises where two people admit to being the driver of a vehicle and the police are unable to prove or disprove either statement .
Idiom: over the counter (used idiomatically: yes)
The growth of venture capital funds in the UK has been substantial in the 1980s and is the result of a number of factors . In the bull markets of the eighties long term investment funds were attractive to investors , and there was also a steady demand from new businesses starting up and from management buyouts that became popular . The unlisted securities market , the Third market and the over - the - counter market provided business with something to aim for and provided investors with a method of disposing of their interests ( an ' exit route ' in the terminology ) . Finally , the venture capital industry in America was a useful model to adopt . The venture capital industry has grown rapidly in the 1980 's and into the 1990 's , from around twelve in the mid 1970 's to approximately 124 at the present time .
Idiom: out and about (used idiomatically: yes)
PART TWO CREATING FULL - BODIED FIGURES Last month RON TINER encouraged you to get out and about with your sketchpad . This month he talks about the methods behind drawing creatively without a model . If you know where the main constituent parts of the skeleton belong , you will understand the disposition of the body 's elements in any pose from any viewpoint , and so be able to construct it convincingly from memory .
Idiom: go to town (used idiomatically: yes)
Another elaboration is the use of leather , often decorated , for the paste - down . Such inside linings , more common in Continental books than English , are known as ‘ doublures’(from the French doubler , to line ) , there being no English equivalent . If the binder has gone to town with his gilt on the outside , he may well have been tempted to spill over onto the inside edges , giving pleasant lacy - patterned borders to the paste - down , usually termed ‘ inside dentelles’ . On the outside they would be ‘ dentelle borders’ , wide or narrow . Again , we borrow from the French , this time for lace or tracery .
Idiom: for a song (used idiomatically: yes)
' He 'll sing the whole of the Don 's part in Don Giovanni for that , ' said the man with the bagpipes . Jarvis laughed . He asked for an Irish song of love and loss . The singer sang it without accompaniment . Imagine accompanying that on the bagpipes !
Idiom: take the plunge (used idiomatically: yes)
She had known with all her soul that she had made just the right decision . It was true she did n't know anything about waiting on tables . Mandy had assured her it was a cinch , but it was the hours that had made her take the plunge into something so totally out of her realm of experience . The Susweca Lounge was open from eight at night until one in the morning . Nothing could have been more perfect for someone who had to work , but desperately wanted to enjoy the sunshine and activities of summer .
Idiom: rest on your laurels (used idiomatically: yes)
We have the problem facing us of implementing the planned museum extension , i.e. of building the mezzanine floor over our landlord 's garage . The plans are passed , but we still have to find the funds and the effort to do this job to the high standard of the existing museum . The message to all of us must be ‘ A good start , boys , but do n't rest on your laurels’ . It goes without saying that those of us without laurels to rest on will need to create some . The Official Opening
Idiom: in the offing (used idiomatically: yes)
As Burma ’s authorities test reform , these gifts , together with her negotiating skills and , most of all , her vast moral authority , will be tested as never before . Moreover , unlike Mandela during his 27-year imprisonment , Suu ~ Kyi has had her hopes raised – and dashed – before . In the mid-1990 ’s , and again in 2002 - 2003 , reconciliation between Suu ~ Kyi ’s National ~ League ~ for ~ Democracy ( NLD ) and the military ~ junta seemed to be in the offing . On both occasions , however , the regime ’s hardliners gained the upper hand , crushing prospects for reform . Yet Suu ~ Kyi , and much of the Burmese opposition , is beginning to admit that today ’s political liberalization might be the real thing .
Idiom: go from strength to strength (used idiomatically: yes)
A record shows , ' The inhabitants of the place said we never saw it in this fashion before ; we were left to wander and none cared for our souls ; but now a brighter day has dawned for us.’ This is a pleasantly worded and , no doubt , sincere statement , but must be balanced by the fact that Walter Henry was recording attendances in excess of 250 each Sunday in the parish church . The Methodists were nonetheless going from strength to strength , and noting that they listened to ‘ hearty , racy , cutting and unctuous speeches which surely would never be forgotten.’ By 1861 there were 13 Sabbath school teachers and they taught 51 children . In previous chapters we have seen how the ancient manor of Combsburgh had been partially enclosed as early as the fourteenth century , especially in the areas close to the market town , and how the bulk of the field structure had been established by the late sixteenth century .
Idiom: on the nose (used idiomatically: yes)
I 'm sure many of you would prefer to get your weekly social started rather than listen to me . Not that I 'd blame you , not that I 'd blame you . But to be serious for a moment ' — and he hitched his spectacles up higher on his nose . ' I may not be of your persuasion but tonight I have been persuaded that the world is reaching a turning - point in its history and that the ancient biblical promise to your people is about to be redeemed . I believe it is .
Idiom: silent as the grave (used idiomatically: yes)
Everything was very quiet . ‘ As I padded down the passage to the kitchen , I felt that something was wrong . It 's hard to explain , but there was an atmosphere— deadly , brooding , silent as the grave . I opened the kitchen door , and … I saw his feet .
Idiom: in the long term (used idiomatically: yes)
Alcohol Alcohol in moderation is fine — but if you over - indulge , then you can do yourself serious harm . In the long term , too much drink can cause high blood pressure and stomach disorders . It can cause severe problems at home or at work for you , your family and others . Alcohol affects women and men differently because of the way their bodies are made , so remember that for women the sensible drinking limits are lower .