Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: off the record (used idiomatically: yes)
But there 's no , people who say things are off the record means that ‘ I do n't want to be , but I want it to get into the system’ . You 're just asking too much , it 's like asking a bear not to touch a pot of honey . Never ever get into a situation where you say , ‘ Well informally and off the record,’ because , because it will come back and haunt you subsequently . And it 's something to do with that and an embargo date 's a little bit like that , and in a sense , you may well be able to stop people actually publishing the thing , but they will still know and be working on it if it 's of any importance , so use embargo dates advisedly . If you want information to go out at a specific time , time it very carefully , and just bung it out , as it were , and , and reckon it 's there at that stage .
Idiom: as a rule (used idiomatically: yes)
They carried on just the same as usual . A at what point would you first erm see someone who was expecting a baby ? Oh about six months as a rule . They 'd , they 'd , they 'd sort of say , they 'd , they , they were supposed to book a , a midwife you see . And , and er then that midwife would po call and see them perhaps one well they call at six months just to make sure ev ev everything was alright .
Idiom: on and off (used idiomatically: no)
Mine is an'all . Have you got a little red light ? Yeah , it keeps flickering on and off . On me dad 's van , that 's a pick - up , when she 's Yeah .
Idiom: six of the best (used idiomatically: yes)
Class 5 4 - 6 - 0 No . 75069 will be moving from its home on the Severn Valley Railway to take part in open day activities on the Southern Region . In early August the plan was for it to stop at Didcot for servicing on Friday , September 11 , prior to leaving for Bournemouth that evening . There 's six of the best AN ORGY of steam traction comes to Dorset on the weekend of September 19 and 20 with history being made as six locomotives steam at once during a special fund - raising Grand Steam Gala — the most locos ever seen in the Isle of Purbeck . Among the half century of steam locomotive development contained in the working locomotives going through their paces — subject to availability — will be a rear Yugoslavian ‘ Yankee Tank’ rescued from the newly independent republic of Slovenia just hours before the start of the bitter civil war which is tragically still raging .
Idiom: go for the jugular (used idiomatically: yes)
McInnes was keen to press his thoughts on me . ‘ You need to turn the tables on Cawthorne if you really want to stitch him up.’ ‘ You mean go for the jugular — his bank balance?’ ‘ Correct . What we need is a terminal with thin spread.’
Idiom: make or break (used idiomatically: yes)
Was it right at the end of a distinguished public servant 's long career to reduce him to such misery ? It was only later that I realized that the tears were caused by rage and not by sadness . Jenkins was fortunate that he brought with him to the Home Office an intuitive understanding that it is how issues and incidents are handled , more than the policies which are decided upon , that can make or break a Home Secretary 's reputation . It is a lesson which has been painfully learned , or sometimes never learned , by several of those who went before and came after . Following a general election in March 1966 which confirmed Labour in power for another Parliament , three main policy objectives engaged the Home Secretary .
Idiom: out of pocket (used idiomatically: yes)
Reaching the shed , I stepped over several mounds of brick and other rubble and went inside , looking carefully at the wet streaked brick walls searching for anything that could be identifiable with the depot . One of the rusting iron pipes fastened to the shed wall and apparently coming from what remained of the old boilerhouse inside , had a plate affixed to it , near the stump of what must have been a water stop valve . It could be of interest , so taking a piece of cotton waste out of my pocket , I cleaned the accumulated filth off it , only to discover that on it was stamped ON - OFF . However , as it was brass , I decided that it was collectable . It was something at least .
Idiom: walk all over (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Either way’ : maybe in this imaginary , or at least in its unconscious , the homosexual is also a vagina . But is n't this ‘ manhole’ also a condensed image which , like the letter generally , fearfully anticipates engulfment in the return of those actual others ( ‘ outside evils’ ) whose subordination , persecution , or exclusion has hitherto seemed to guarantee a sexual , racial , and national purity — women , homosexuals , foreigners ? I am reminded that with the literal manhole — the actual thing in the street — we can indeed walk all over it . But do n't we also know , if only in our dreams , that even as we do so we will one day just as surely tall down it ? Homophobia ( 2 ) : Theories of Sexual Difference
Idiom: get on someone's nerves (used idiomatically: yes)
By the time you say hello . That 's it . And I 'm everlasting getting bloody ooh that phone getting on my nerves . I 'm gon na write or Joe 's gon na write to them . The mill .
Idiom: on the make (used idiomatically: yes)
You wo n't necessarily need a sophisticated carrying system with full hip belt , but you 'll have to be careful to limit your load to avoid crippled neck and shoulders ! Remember that simple waist belts are there mainly to stop the sack swaying around . However you intend to use the sack , it 's worth trying on a few makes before buying . Two rucksacks which look very similar in size and design may well feel quite different on your back . People come in all shapes and sizes and rucksack makers often have to aim for the middle ground when deciding on specifications .
Idiom: unknown quantity (used idiomatically: yes)
Mig Romerez did not even recognise a football when I showed him one but his exotic appearance should be enough to impress those bumpkins in ‘ The Tip’ crowd . His pizza slices certainly rekindle memories of the good old days in football … they taste like Dubbin . As for Wayne Pollock and Clive Smott , they are totally unknown quantities . In actual fact , I can not even remember signing them ! I must have bloody done so , because they both produced contracts and five or six witnesses who swore that , although I was completely paralytic , I signed them on last Monday night at the Duck and Forceps .
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
The instrument used was derived from discussion with four groups of members of the general public ( with and without incontinence ) who explained their attitudes and the perceived effect on lifestyle . The questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers . The symptom of incontinence was broached in the question ' Have you ever suffered from any of these health problems ? ' — a list of 15 problems being shown on a card . Problems included backache , chest pain , constipation , depression ( feeling ' down ' for long periods of time ) , and alcohol problems . The third item on the list was ' bladder problems , e.g. leaking , wet pants , damp pants . '
Idiom: make a move (used idiomatically: no)
INGRES INDEPENDENT TOOLS ON THE WAY Following the trend spearheaded by Unify Corp with its Accell 4GL toolset a few years ago , Ingres Corp is expected to make the first moves in liberating its own toolsets from the Ingres database next month . Ingres Windows 4GL , well received as a graphical , object - oriented 4GL development tool , but with a surprisingly low profile for a two year old product , is expected to make a two - stage move towards supporting multiple databases , with announcements about a middleware product expected next month . Third party companies such as Boca Raton , Florida - based TechGnosis Inc , with its SequeLink SQL ' middleware ' product , have taken a similar approach . Ingres hopes to be early with SQL92 , the specifications for which should be settled finally next month , and is also working with Microsoft Corp and the SQL Access Group on Open Database Connectivity ( ODBC ) compliance .
Idiom: pull a face (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Newcassle you mean,’ he said with a grin . ‘ They wo n't understand you up there if you say ‘ Newcastle’.’ She pulled a face . ‘ Nothing like the dear old Smoke , is there?’ ‘ Don't,’ she said .
Idiom: at cross purposes (used idiomatically: yes)
It is n't the total charge . And it comprises er , redundancy provisions er , costs on abortive er , acquisitions or erm , consulting projects er , lease provisions in Penguin and other odds and sods bluntly . I think we 're talking at cross purposes . I think the slide that Frank was referring to was the total charge for the year . The eight million is the difference in the exceptional charge for ninety one compared with nineteen ninety .
Idiom: on the game (used idiomatically: no)
COMPUTER game giants Sega and Nintendo are under secret Government investigation . The Office of Fair Trading is probing allegations that the companies are charging rip - off prices for their products , TODAY has learned . The action follows complaints from parents and consumer groups and comes during a £ 600 million Christmas spending spree on games and hardware . An OFT spokesman confirmed : ' We are already looking to see if the high prices charged are justified . This is a high priority . '
Idiom: for Africa (used idiomatically: yes)
Lord , in Your mercy , Hear our prayer . We pray for the nations of the world ; O God , help us to lessen the tensions between nations , so that our many resources and gifts may be diverted to the alleviation of human suffering and injustice , and that we may be better stewards of Your many gifts to us . We pray for the governments and peoples of eastern Europe as they enter a new era ; for Africa , that its peoples may be delivered from fear , oppression and famine , especially in Ethiopia and Sudan ; for the Israeli and Palestinian people that they may honour each other and seek the common good ; Lord , in Your mercy , Hear our prayer . We pray for our brothers and sisters in Judaism and Islam , with whom we live in this land , and with whom we share a common heritage ; help us to grow in understanding and appreciation of each other ;
Idiom: head over heels (used idiomatically: no)
PRIDE OF OUR SALLY Golden girl Gunnell roars home to hurdle into Olympic history She 's head over heels DAVID MOORE SALLY GUNNELL pulled the old Muhammad Ali trick last night to absolutely pulverise some of the world 's finest women runners .
Idiom: on the nose (used idiomatically: yes)
This needs to be dealt with firmly however , before it escalates and leads to serious injury . Unfortunately , the action of pulling your hand away is likely to cause the dog to snap at you , in a bid to restrain your hand . Similarly , tapping the dog firmly on the nose may also persuade it that this is a game , and it will continue with such behaviour . Instead , you should respond by making the dog lie down , saying ‘ no’ in a harsh voice and then ignoring it for a period , thus breaking off the game . The dog will soon learn that this behaviour is unacceptable .
Idiom: point the finger (used idiomatically: yes)
' First impressions count . The impression your shop gives will deter potential customers . ' She pointed her finger at the lettering on the window . ' The ' E ' should be an ' A ' . ' Later that afternoon , when she had finished her shopping and passed the shop a second time , she found the E had been changed to an A. Just as , when she informed her class of noisy fourteen - year - olds that there was to be ' no more of that ' , there was no more .
Idiom: to boot (used idiomatically: no)
And what would happen to the east coast route ? Westminster 's station master apparent David Howell ( first class hons in economics at Cambridge , who happens to represent commuter Guildford as well as being Secretary of State for Transport ) , woke up with a jolt . He 'd had a bad dream in which he 'd been not only head of the Conservative Research Department , but also with the Raj in Belfast , and confronted by coalminers and oil - rig workers to boot . He rose to his feet , but the thought of a glare from mother , who had shunted him to transport , and he was sitting down again . Something of a row broke out with an awkward commuter .
Idiom: like clockwork (used idiomatically: yes)
The flow chart is not supposed to be rigid or to be adhered to at all costs ; more a source of guidance and reference and a way of keeping check on the different activities that go on simultaneously as you move towards that special day . People are always niggling me and teasing me for doing too much work , going into too many details for even the smallest conference . But these same people always say , ‘ That ran like clockwork , Harvey’ or ‘ What a great ‘ do’that was , it looked terrific’and so on . They just do n't make the connection ! Some people say you get tired and jaded with something if you plan too much or for too long .
Idiom: take the piss (used idiomatically: yes)
Most importantly , Rita , just as she makes her own diagnosis , knows — unlike the professionals — exactly what the ‘ shock’ is and that it comes from somewhere : Rita : You know , the old story , my first thoughts when I had her , well one of my first thoughts , was Oh , I 've got one of them kids that have silly haircuts , silly anoraks , spend all day on buses or all day in a home , weaving baskets , and that was my first thought … I do n't know , I always said I 'd never took the piss out of these children , but I 'm sure I must have done at school , but I must admit I was embarrassed . I was embarrassed giving birth to a mongol . If we was educated with handicapped , you know , if we 'd mixed with them … but we never saw them .
Idiom: on the money (used idiomatically: no)
Mark Radcliffe , a former TI director who recently stepped down as head of the CBI 's national manufacturing council , adds : ' The balance of trade must be a measure of success and competitiveness . Economists say it is not terribly relevant because the financial flows are 20 to 50 times as great . But I do n't know how you can run a country on frothy money , and I would argue that Black Wednesday was a classic example of that sort of thing going wrong . ' Ron Garrick , managing director of Weir Group , the Glasgow - based engineering concern , argues : ' There is a lot of evidence that in the world 's most successful economies the obvious example is Japan — there is a strong correlation between growth in manufacturing and overall growth . ' Many industrialists concede that a large part of the responsibility for British companies ' lame performance must lie with management .
Idiom: get the better of (used idiomatically: no)
But I respect them . They 've always done good for me . If I had children myself they 'd get the best of gear . They 'd be trendy as . They 'd go to good schools .
Idiom: for the time being (used idiomatically: yes)
Dr SHEILA GIBSON / Homoeopathic Doctor ; 1'32 ’ Well I must admit that I think I 'd find it a real struggle to cut wheat out of my diet . Me too , but good luck for the time being Susan . We 'll catch up with her continued efforts in a few weeks time when Zoe Muir reviews the progress of all our healthy lifestylers as they hit the three month mark . Time for a break now , but lots more to come .
Idiom: in someone's pocket (used idiomatically: yes)
He fastened the beads round his neck , arranging the knife so that it rested hidden between his shoulder blades . He belted a ten - inch hunting - knife to his right calf . A metre and a half of copper wire with wooden handgrips at each end went in his pocket plus a box of bullets for his Walther in case he should be able to reclaim it from the masthead . He had become an Untouchable , Trent thought with sudden bitterness as he glanced up to catch a look , almost of horror , on Mariana 's face . He was aware of how professional he must appear to her in his preparations for what she saw as killing and which he had been trained to see as protection of the innocent .
Idiom: in the running (used idiomatically: yes)
Ponyboy wanted more out of life than his brothers . Although in ‘ The Outsiders’ he has more of a group and social life as he spends most of his time with friends or his brothers . His eldest brother , Darry , could be compared to Celie 's husband , Albert , in that he represents the head of the family and as such takes the lead in the running of things . I linked both books to the theme of ‘ Outsiders’ , not because of the title but because I felt both books told the story of two lives lived on the edge of society . Both characters were ‘ outsiders’ in their own community , whether through poverty , skin colour or beliefs .
Idiom: in the bag (used idiomatically: yes)
Action for the environment Last year we continued to seek new ways of putting into action our concern for the environment . The Penny Back Scheme and using recycled plastic in our carrier bags saved five million gallons of oil . There are now almost 600 recycling banks at JS stores . We are committed to replacing CFCs in refrigeration by the end of 1996 and , when Basildon opened in August , we were the first supermarket retailer in Europe to introduce an ozone benign refrigerant .
Idiom: round the clock (used idiomatically: yes)
If it snowed , as was threatened , there was every possibility that Whitely would be cut off . It had happened twice before in his time as Governor . Once , in the winter of 1983 , the snow had drifted up to ten feet around the prison walls ; teams of prisoners working virtually round the clock had been unable to keep open the single road that linked Whitely with the outside world . No food had got through and the men had been put on half - rations . There had been rumblings about a riot , but Nicholson had received the warnings with little fear .
Idiom: on the up and up (used idiomatically: yes)
As well as the usual smattering of quotations from the likes of Diderot and Montaigne , it features figures , diagrams , a glossary of technical terms and a bibliography — all the paraphernalia , that is , of an academic monograph . The most revealing bit of the book is not a lyrical evocation of lost love but a graph showing Hans Eysenck 's productivity over the years . Each article or book chapter counts for one point ; each book counts for ten ; and the productivity trend , needless to say , is on the up and up . Mr Eysenck has no time for English diffidence . ‘ Rebel With a Cause’ is an unabashed celebration of academic success and private fulfilment .
Idiom: on and off (used idiomatically: yes)
Highlight the player you wish to remove , press fire , highlight his replacement and press fire again — returning to the menu and selecting ‘ play game’ restarts the match . Odds and ends Press the ‘ up’ arrow key to skip the presentation sequence where the players run on and off the pitch , or back to their positions when a goal is scored . press ‘ run / stop’ to abort the game . Strategy and options
Idiom: in the black (used idiomatically: yes)
Shadow Chancellor Gordon Brown called for an ‘ in - depth investigation’ into the banks ' costs , charges and services . Mr Brown said the planned charges were the last straw for customers already angry over banks ' high - handed attitude . Four out of five customers now stay in the black . Bosses say they can no longer afford the free banking brought in eight years ago in an attempt to beat off competition from building society accounts . But Mr Brown said : ‘ Customers already facing rising charges can ill - afford to pay more .
Idiom: off the shelf (used idiomatically: yes)
Afterwards Stella was convinced she had been rebuked . She began to wonder whether St Ives 's abrupt departure had n't been occasioned by her ill judged remark rather than by Geoffrey 's calling out of the quarter hour . And had perhaps Grace Bird 's goddammit of irritation been directed at her and not at the ball of beige knitting wool which had just then rolled off the shelf of the dressing - table ? Certainly Dotty was less effusive in her thanks when Stella brought her up a tray of tea in the interval . And half way through the second act , when Ptolemy accused Caesar of driving him from his palace and Caesar said , ‘ Go , my boy , I will not harm you ; but you will be safer away , among your friends , here you are in the lion 's mouth’ , Stella imagined St Ives spoke more severely than usual .
Idiom: pure and simple (used idiomatically: yes)
I am even more amazed that , having hated it , people have now come to love it quite so much . I mean I can understand why they do and I like the stuff myself , but I do n't share the belief that I get from all sides that impressionism is what art should be like normally . You see impressionism is n't art about anything very much , it 's art as description — a very lively , lovable form of description , pure and simple — whereas normally art has been full of messages and meaning and didacticism if you like — full of morality and sermonizing very often , and that is normal for art . A lot of modern art has tended to be that way , often abstract art , that people think is meaningless , is in fact full of very serious messages if only people are willing to listen to them . It 's a big subject but I 'm in a sense referring to it only in this context because it 's precisely in these areas that British art in the twentieth century has been very important .
Idiom: hit the headlines (used idiomatically: yes)
Now take note members of the press , when the Tory 's paymasters , the big industrialists and the C B I start squealing , there 's panic on the Tory benches . The coal review did nowt for them either . Sadly , mass closures and redundancies have become commonplace , it 's no longer hitting the headlines , just a few small columns in the paper , so I ask you delegates , go back to your branches , raise the issue not just about coal but about all unemployment , chase up the media , write to your M P , especially the Tories , support the rallies and maybe a petition from this conference could be organized , but I say raise hell , give them no peace , one job loss is one too many and we ai n't gon na accept redundancy in any of our sections without a bloody good fight . So let 's take the gloves off now , please support . Well done Linda .
Idiom: rank and file (used idiomatically: yes)
Many were in white - collar jobs , often in the public sector . Often the workers were unorganized , or organized only weakly . The strikes were sparked off by the rank and file , most were unofficial , and often they were resisted at the outset by national trade union leaderships . So they should be seen essentially as a unified development . Table 12.1
Idiom: with open arms (used idiomatically: yes)
Secondly , why should Margaret suddenly marry the Earl of Angus and then , within such a short time , desert him ; indeed , even hate him ? Thirdly , why did she shelter in England away from her kingdom and her sons ? We heard from the Lord d'Aubigny that the Scottish Council is more than prepared to welcome Queen Margaret back with open arms.’ ‘ Which,’ Benjamin continued , ‘ leads us to this sudden change in the Queen 's mood . It seems that she can not return to Scotland fast enough .
Idiom: against the grain (used idiomatically: yes)
Hilts has fallen under the spell of each in turn — not so deeply as to distort fact , but deeply enough to lose the sardonic , sceptical qualities that ought never quite to desert the journalist . Hints at races for priority and battles for funding , disappear politely into the background as the protagonist 's version , time and again , is taken as gospel . Although it goes against the grain to say this , the exercise is valuable , if indeed it has the effect of providing an accurate version of a distinguished person 's world view . But it lies more in the realm of the hagiographer than the journalist . Compared with recent serious journalistic books on science , such as the Eight Days of Creation and The Soul of a New Machine , Scientific Temperaments is a light confection .