Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: keep a lid on (used idiomatically: no)
While the Royal Commission has never been accused of acting as an arm of government , its inquiries are not conducted with the same open - eyed approach to political manipulation as are those of the Select Committees of the House of Lords or House of Commons . The Times story is interesting because it links the report on the Commission 's activities with the Royal Society , a body which had become embroiled in official political - scientific propaganda exercises before , such as the five - year study of acid rain financed by the Central Electricity Generating Board . At the same time as backbench morale was being boosted and the government 's view was being channelled to the voters , a lid was being kept on the facts about water privatisation and pollution cost . On 20 July , the generally anti - government Guardian reported that ' scientists at water authorities have been threatened with criminal proceedings if they talk about the costs of dealing with nitrate pollution . ' After the Water Bill was enacted , said the newspaper , ' all staff at the Anglian Water Authority were warned that statements about water quality must be cleared with the organisation 's lawyers and merchant bankers .
Idiom: up and running (used idiomatically: yes)
They 'll work in France for a few weeks at a time staying in hotels . It 's estimated that the workers will be travelling back and forth from France until Christmas . By then Sun Valley hopes to have made arrangements to have new production lines up and running in Herefordshire . ( HARRIET AD LIB)(WES ) Still to come on Central News , kill your speed not a child Welcome back .
Idiom: on the back burner (used idiomatically: yes)
Apart from the subject that you 're coming back to yes we 'll come back to that in a minute . ? Erm right just t message on secretaries clubs , going to put them on a back burner for a while then in terms of actually forming a club as such Well we need t we need t we we need to establish ah I hope we do it . Right
Idiom: warts and all (used idiomatically: yes)
You need to think about how you want it to be.’ 10 Love Does he love you , warts and all ? Men are notoriously shy of those three little words . But even if your romantic beau whispers ‘ I love you’ daily in your shell - like , it does n't mean that he loves you in the way that you love him .
Idiom: rub someone up the wrong way (used idiomatically: yes)
Mostly one was left in peace , as the sight of a solitary figure reclining on the grass , nose in book , was not one to encourage conversation . The only people who dared to interrupt were the American Forces , our valiant Allies , off - duty from the many American Air Bases in the area . I had not at that time met any Americans but the sight of them prowling through what was now my favourite town , talking in their unfamiliar accents to anyone who would listen , rubbed me up the wrong way . After four and a half years of war involving food and clothes rationing , and bombing , and losing friends , the sight of these large , prosperous , untouched - by - anything foreigners parading round the streets , chatting up anything in skirts , was profoundly irritating . I think to a lot of us they were a big puzzle .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
In Flanders , an area in which French and English interests clashed over issues which were strategic , economic and legal , Edward I intervened in 1294 as king of England in defence of the count , Guy , then in dispute with Philip IV of France . But this intervention was more than a defence of English interests in north - eastern France . In the previous year Philip IV had summoned Edward I , as duke of Aquitaine , to answer for an allegedly illegal act at sea off the coast of the duchy , and for the capture of La Rochelle by men from Bayonne . Attempts to find a solution having failed , Philip announced the confiscation of the duchy of Aquitaine in May 1294 . In the following month , Edward broke his feudal links with the French crown , and the two countries soon drifted into war .
Idiom: light at the end of the tunnel (used idiomatically: yes)
Anyway , granny did n't survive the war — her heart gave out one night and there was a big family funeral to which I did not go , having conveniently arranged to be on duty that day . I 'd had enough of people I knew dying or being killed , and I did n't want to be there to see all my relatives being miserable and to listen to their bomb stories . Coming after five years of war , when for the first time there did seem to be a tiny light at the end of the tunnel , these new rockets were almost too much for our overstretched nerves , although the situation would no doubt have been very much worse if it had not been for the times when both the RAF and the American Air Force had been out bombing Peenemunde and the other rocket sites . During that week of leave there was one other incident which was memorable and could have been serious , if not fatal , for me . One night when there was an air raid alert on , and we were trying in vain to sleep through the usual ‘ noises off’ , mainly the big anti - aircraft guns situated it seemed at the end of the garden , there was suddenly the most appalling crash immediately over our heads .
Idiom: rank and file (used idiomatically: yes)
Police studies The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 extended police powers with accompanying safeguards . One argument over the Act concerns the adequacy of the safeguards : civil libertarians maintain they are too weak while rank - and - file police lament the burden of paperwork and bureaucratic routine as an impediment to effective crime investigation . The safeguards are primarily internal processes of police management , supervision and discipline . Some observers see this as a deficiency : others maintain that effective control over use of police powers must necessarily involve day - to - day supervision .
Idiom: in the saddle (used idiomatically: yes)
Finnan had a cheeky grin that had nonetheless something guarded about it . He reminded Riven a little of the Bicker he had known at the bothy . Bicker did not dismount , but leaned forward in the saddle and nodded to the river pilot . ‘ I was wondering,’ Finnan went on , ‘ seeing your company so finely decked out for travelling , if you were by any chance headed the same way?’ ‘ And if we were , would it concern you?’ the dark man asked politely .
Idiom: pick up the pieces (used idiomatically: yes)
But their kids were n't expected to work for their love , it was n't seen as a return for services rendered . CATHERINE I never knew . ROBBIE Sometimes when I was washing the car , he had a great big Ford estate , I 'd pick up a piece of gravel and just scratch the paint a wee bit . If you put the gravel under the cloth and wipe the car you get a great mark . I did that once , quite bad it was , my father was furious , but my mother said I 'd been trying and he was n't to do anything .
Idiom: foot the bill (used idiomatically: yes)
Mr Lafontaine is artful , tenacious and ( unlike Mr Kohl ) a fine orator . He reckons the chancellor has awakened get - rich - quick expectations in East Germans which are likely to be disappointed . And he believes that West German voters may revolt when they realise still more clearly that they will have to foot the bill for unity . There is something in that . Even with a new economic miracle somewhere ahead , it will take years for the East Germans ' standard of living to come close to that of their rich cousins .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
NONCONFORMISTS AND THE ANGLO - SAXON WORLD In 1906 a ship left England bound for Australasia . Once at sea the Church of England chaplain read the Prayer Book 's ‘ stately intercessions’ on the first class deck . Down below , in the third class , James Flanagan , a Primitive Methodist minister who began his working life at seven and taught himself to read at twenty - one , preached and ‘ frequently pleaded with the God of earth and sea’ for a safe journey . Once in New Zealand , Flanagan , the Home Missionary Advocate and Connexional Evangelist , found himself in a very different world from England .
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: yes)
Built in 1540 as one of Henry VIII 's network of coastal defences , it is now little more than a rock pile . The headland of The Dodman , meaning Deadman , jutted out ahead of us . As we passed close by we made out a cross , erected at the tip in 1896 after two destroyers collided in thick fog , eventually breaking up on the headland . Culdrose Radar cleared us through the inactive low level danger area and agreed that we would follow the coastline through the combined MATZs . Within all the barren beauty of Dartmoor , Bodmin Moor and contrasting tourists ' yellow sand beaches , Cornwall supports three Military Air Traffic Zones in its south west tip , and an area of intense aerial activity of 2600 square miles from the surface to 5800 feet .
Idiom: in business (used idiomatically: yes)
GENERAL NOTE A. Disqualification of Members of Courts - General . This section ( 1 ) disqualifies persons in certain trades from acting in any way as a member of a board,(2 ) disqualifies a person holding a disqualifying interest in a company from taking part in proceedings in which the company is an applicant or an objector,(3 ) disqualifies an employee of a licence holder under the Act , and any person engaged in a business dealing with alcoholic liquor , including the directors , officers and employees of companies engaged in such businesses from acting as a member of a licensing board,(4 ) disqualifies a member of a board , who is the owner or tenant of premises , from acting in the granting of a certificate in respect of those premises,(5 ) makes it an offence to contravene the section,(6 ) declares , subject to the proviso ( that the grant of a new licence is not liable to objection on the ground that one or more of the members of the board who granted it were not qualified to act ) , anything done in contravention of the section void , and ( 7 ) exempts members of a committee to determine the distribution of licences in a new town from disqualification for being members of a board by reason of their membership of the committee . It is to be noted that the disqualification prescribed by subs . ( 1 ) applies to acting as a member for the discharge of the functions of a board under the Act .
Idiom: through thick and thin (used idiomatically: yes)
She is a more acceptable creature in the eyes of society than the domineering Mrs. Proudie . Her husband , a clergyman , is the base of the novel , which starts with the gossip and rumours about his stealing , or not , depending on your point of view , a cheque for fifty pounds . She is a much more down - to - earth person than Madeline Vesey Neroni , and supports her husband through thick and thin , always doing what she feels is in his best interest . She manages her husband , who is rather eccentric to say the least , in a manner which suggests that he is officially still the head of the house . Trollope shows right from the start that Mrs. Crawley is a typically admirable person , when he writes :
Idiom: child's play (used idiomatically: no)
Nor is this likely to have been a novel feature of the tenth and eleventh centuries , whose rulers were building on traditions of public authority already old . Their most remarkable expression is the earthwork which an eighth- century king of Mercia constructed on his western frontier . Offa 's Dyke , covering lines some 150 miles long , although at points perhaps relying on rivers rather than ramparts for defence , is a work which reveals a tremendous ability to organise labour : the Danish Danevirke is child 's play compared with it . Yet if Mercian royal government was unable to fend off Viking invasion a century later — a warning of weaknesses to be discussed shortly — that of the West Saxons was . King Alfred 's successes may well have owed a great deal to his predecessors , but in the construction of his network of defensive fortresses we see an ability to command similar to Offa 's , and perpetuated by his son Edward the Elder and grandson Æthelstan , who conquered all England for the West Saxon dynasty .
Idiom: go from strength to strength (used idiomatically: yes)
Secondly , the appointment of an Accreditation and Training Officer gave a focus to the work which the Division is undertaking in the Assessment of Work Based Learning . The ability to build work based credit into both academic awards and those using industry lead body standards , such as the MCI , will give added value , to all our PICKUP efforts . The Centre for English Language Teaching continued to go from strength to strength , with increasing numbers in all its many programmes . A new co - operative venture with Shue Yan College , Hong Kong , was inaugurated , adding to the range of institutions in the Far East with which the Centre is associated . The opening up of Eastern Europe led to countries such as Poland , Slovenia and Montenegro sending scientists , business executives and government officials for professional training in English .
Idiom: get to grips with (used idiomatically: yes)
Er er anybody got any questions to put to Melanie , er about er yes , er yes er Norma ? Yeah , I 'm rather concerned that this kind of thing seems to be happening rather a lot , I mean this is so reminiscent of what happened in the , the four maisonette in in Fern Hill where we had empty blocks left for a long time erm becoming a magnet for vandalism and all kinds of everything ! We 've also seen it happening , to an extent in properties in Bishopsfield as well erm I really think we need to get to grips with what we seem to be doing , which de - counting people prematurely early er , in response to , to housing developments which we are planning to undertake in in partnership with other people and leaving ourselves open to this and not Well what could we be doing you tell yourself , . not only can pose as a danger but it presents er the unsightliness erm an and all the other problems associated with that .
Idiom: eat like a horse (used idiomatically: yes)
Acting upon information received while sleeping , she draws up her invincible battle plans , foils the conspiracies of assassins , learns of the infidelities and corruptions for which she blackmails both her loyalists ( to ensure their support ) and her opponents ( to ensure theirs ) . The dreams help her forecast the weather , negotiate treaties , and invest shrewdly in trade . — She eats like a horse and never gains an ounce . The earth adores her footfall . Its shadows flee before the brilliance of her eyes .
Idiom: with open arms (used idiomatically: yes)
Imagine that when you come home from a holiday , your house has been taken over by squatters . What would be your reaction ? Would you welcome them with open arms ? Or would you tell them in no uncertain terms to leave immediately ? Look upon your inner self as your home .
Idiom: look the other way (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Right up your tight , rich twat.’ ‘ And what do you think the other passengers are going to do ? Just look the other way?’ ‘ You think anyone 's going to help you ? Do you think anyone gives a fuck what happens to you ?
Idiom: too clever by half (used idiomatically: yes)
If I do.’ He stood up , waved at Monica , winked at Paula and was gone . ‘ That man is too clever by half,’ Paula commented . ‘ I do n't think he knows he 's not my favourite person.’ ‘ He knows,’ Tweed told her , ‘ which is why he winked .
Idiom: chapter and verse (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ It does n't say anywhere in the Bible that only those with married parents will be accepted.’ Shannon pursed her lips . ‘ My grandfather could probably have taken you unerringly to the chapter and verse which said exactly that,’ she averred . ‘ As far as he was concerned , God created sex purely for the purposes of procreation . Anyone who indulged in it for its own sake was an out - and - out sinner — and that went for the resulting offspring , too.’
Idiom: scream blue murder (used idiomatically: yes)
She lived for occasions and would not miss one for the world . If something did not go right , such as missing a train — even if it was her own fault — she flew into a rage . She could scream blue murder , but half an hour later would be the life of a dinner party , for she was very vain and never missed a chance to show herself off . Unfortunately , some of the guests had arrived early , before she perked up with a smile , and witnessed the other side of the sweetness and light . Fatima was very concerned about her health , but Jane was amused to note that there was nothing wrong with her lungs .
Idiom: on the back of (used idiomatically: yes)
She looks around her , dazed and sluggish , while her brain tries to piece together the blurred details and recollections that will tell her where she is , and — which she would rather forget - what brought her here . She 's not her usual self — the clothes are alien , if softer and infinitely easier on the body than her own , and her cropped head is bare . She sees her wig and familiar clothing , dry now , still hanging on the backs of chairs to one side of a dead fire . She pulls off the shirt and jeans , goes to the sink , and slaps cold water over her face and shoulders . Then she comes to look into the mirror .
Idiom: serve someone right (used idiomatically: yes)
She fell headlong , with a cry of alarm , and lay gasping for breath as the pain shot up her leg . The crashing sounds grew louder and then a pair of shoes came into her field of vision . ‘ It would serve you right if you had broken the damn ankle,’ Travis declared with suppressed violence as he knelt down . ‘ What were you trying to do?’ Paige allowed him to help her roll over into a sitting position .
Idiom: small print (used idiomatically: yes)
Well , I think if I can clarify small print . If you look through the wording of that policy , it is all the same print . There is no small print in the booklet . I think also if you read it through there 's no insurance jargon in there at all , except to say that the policy 's underwritten by a Department of Trade approved insurer . But apart from that it is totally and utterly readable .
Idiom: get lost (used idiomatically: yes)
DRAWBACKS : A bit complicated : you have to get a hard core of guests and relatives over to the Register Office first ; then rendezvous at the church ; then get back to the drink - up . People tend to get lost , and fights can break out . You also have nearly as much administrative bother as a full wedding ( see The Traditional ) without all the pomp . RINGS :
Idiom: on the level (used idiomatically: yes)
This in turn can cause adjustment and behavioural problems later in life . Michael Short , the director of the National Association for Gifted Children , says prodigies should spend as much time as possible with their peer group . ‘ It 's common for a child to be academically gifted but be on a normal level socially and emotionally , ’ says Mr Short . ‘ But some parents find that their child 's school is not up to catering for children with special needs . ‘ Depending on the personality of the child , he or she can either become destructive or switch off completely .
Idiom: up to speed (used idiomatically: no)
Yeah . So air resistance is er is the big one . Once you get up to speed that 's , you 're , it 's like running through , have you tried running through water ? Yeah . Yeah , it 's like that .
Idiom: by and large (used idiomatically: yes)
The drives that bind one person to another are primitive and intense , and can be disturbing to our normal perceptions if we allow ourselves to see what is going on . I have been talking about experiences which affect both men and women ; what I am suggesting is that the role of the Weaving Mother is to spin a thread , a bond , from the ‘ raw material’ proffered by the male . If the woman does not choose to fulfil this part of the process , then the connection will not hold ; by and large it is women who create the form of the relationship . However , looking at the archetype of the Weaving Mother operating in the general human domain , we can see the same principle operating in , for instance , the teaching systems of spiritual and esoteric traditions , where it may just as easily be the man who calls upon the powers of binding . This takes us out of the realm of male - female sexual relationships into another sphere , where such bonds can be used for better communication between individuals , and to foster the link between teacher and pupil .
Idiom: on someone's mind (used idiomatically: no)
‘ Let me explain first about the insurance,’ she began . ‘ It was due for renewal yesterday , but I entirely forgot about it . You see , I 've had rather a lot on my mind recently … ’ His smile parodied sympathy . ‘ Do n't we all , Mrs Howell?’
Idiom: in full swing (used idiomatically: yes)
It 'll be a surprise for them both when they get home … Surprise parties are always the best . It can be arranged without his knowing a thing about it , and by the time he gets back it 'll be in full swing.’ Merrill smiled , then after a moment said hesitantly , ‘ I do n't know about your mother 's reactions , of course , but are you sure it 's the kind of surprise Luke will appreciate ? If my information is correct , his meeting in York is likely to be rather sticky .
Idiom: on the money (used idiomatically: yes)
Physical goods , by contrast , are not seen by Keynesians as being close substitutes for financial assets ( and certainly not for money ) . They are far too illiquid . Thus the stress on money as a means of storing wealth and the close substitutability of money and other financial assets give an elastic liquidity preference curve . Monetarists . Monetarists stress the function of money as a medium of exchange and play down its role as a store of wealth .
Idiom: make a meal of (used idiomatically: no)
‘ All you can eat’ buffets were exactly that , accompanied by limitless supplies of soft drinks . Like everything else in the States the helpings are larger than life and you very soon learn to resist the temptation to start the meal with an appetiser . However the Americans are so helpful and flexible that if a starter does particularly take your fancy you are perfectly welcome to make a meal of that and nothing else . their sandwiches are composed with countless varieties of breads and fillings making meals in themselves and it is not unusual to see one dessert shared among several people . The best news of all is that you pay remarkably little for all this bounty .
Idiom: thick and fast (used idiomatically: yes)
On both sides of the Atlantic , friends of the smooth - talking Texan still remark on the flood of calls that poured in to Wyatt from the Duchess . ‘ Wherever Steve was she would find him,’ one recalls . ‘ Calls came thick and fast . It was embarrassing.’ Even at work he was besieged .
Idiom: have words (used idiomatically: yes)
I at once , Stefan , there was an , I was anything , just . So a lawyer came , and of course I had my own office , confidential stuff , so he wanted to give it to me . , and in the machine or something , I had you know , I never know , you have quite a few words which are n't any French or . one language , one and the others have two or two . Or else , I .
Idiom: cut a dash (used idiomatically: yes)
Friday 6th December : When we arrived , our ‘ stand’ looked little bare , to say the least ! The Hairflair team set to work straight away . Assistant Editor , Hellena Barnes cut a dash with her scissors ; Art Editor Sarah Vernot got going with her trusty scalpel and Editor Sue Rouse added the finishing touches . The result was a superb stand which really attracted the crowd during the week ! An enthusiastic crowd awaits the next photographic shoot sponsored by Kodak .