Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: off the record (used idiomatically: yes)
One does not need to look hard for Iran 's reasons for testing the limits of international tolerance : to redeem the humiliations of the Mosaddeq era and beyond ; to demonstrate superior technological prowess to the region and the wider world ; and to make clear to the Western powers – whose perceived double standards abandoned Iran to Saddam ~ Hussein 's chemical warfare in the late 1980s – that it would not compromise on its " right " to enrich uranium under the Nuclear ~ Non - Proliferation ~ Treaty . By contrast , it has not been so easy for observers to see why Iran would stop short of building the nuclear ~ weapons that it may soon have the capacity to produce . But in my many off - the - record discussions with senior officials in Iran and elsewhere over the last few years , I have heard five such reasons stated with clarity and consistency , and they deserve to be taken seriously . The first reason is concern that Israel will perceive the existence of one or two Iranian bombs as an existential threat , demanding a pre - emptive military attack – with or without US support , but in either case with resources that Iran knows it can not match .
Idiom: pay through the nose (used idiomatically: yes)
Look at Larkhill . I 'm buggered every which way I turn because the ruins are mine , but the land beneath is somebody else 's . I ca n't rebuild without paying through the nose for the privilege , and even if I did build , getting rent is like getting blood from a stone!’ He jerked his head angrily . ‘ I 'm caught between a pig and a poke , blast it .
Idiom: from scratch (used idiomatically: yes)
There was still an immense amount of work to do on the boat , not the least of which , it seemed to us , was replacing her rotting mainmast . The Keraing , however , had put the wheels in motion , and while Sinar Surya was being prepared for the sea , and the pirates were still arguing about where she might go , and with whom , Lorne and I spent the following weeks suppressing our impatience by exploring our surroundings . In the coconut groves by the beach scores of men were building prahus from scratch , some over 150 feet long . Their only tools from the outside world were the " parang " , the broad - bladed machete of the East , and a hand - drill resembling an oversized corkscrew , with which they could make all the other tools they required to produce these spectacular Noah 's Arks . Prahu - building is ruled by ancient deities , mediated by specialized shamans who choose the timbers by " calling " to the trees and cutting only those which " reply " .
Idiom: at your fingertips (used idiomatically: yes)
An exclusive charge card for those with an annual income of over £ 25,000 , which combines the comprehensive banking facilities of The Royal Bank Of Scotland with the financial flexibility of American Express . CASHLINE With a Cashline card you can have cash at your fingertips from our network of Cashline machines nationwide . In addition you can withdraw cash from the Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Bank cash dispensing machines — a total of over 5,500 throughout Great Britain . You can also obtain instant details of the balance in your account or request a new cheque book at any Royal Bank of Scotland Cashline machine .
Idiom: get lost (used idiomatically: yes)
The higher you went , the less beautiful it got . And conditions were still at just about the same , but it had been an old hotel , so all the rooms at the top were left just as the bedrooms would have been , so you went up and down steps , and along corridors . You could easily get lost , at first , until you got used to it . Or you went up the fire escape , which had fifty two steps , to go up . And you was in these top rooms with the the stoves , but erm they had gas stoves , under the irons .
Idiom: take the plunge (used idiomatically: yes)
He said the company was uncomfortable with Lithium batteries because of safety concerns . QUALITY SOFTWARE PRODUCTS EMPHASISES QUALITY AS IT DISCUSSES PATHFINDER PROSPECTUS FOR FULL LISTING Financial software house Quality Software Products Holdings Plc has taken the plunge and decided to go for a full listing on the UK stock exchange ‘ to exploit the business opportunities’ presented by its newly - launched Universal OLAS product ( CI No 2,116 ) . The pathfinder prospectus was made available for public viewing on March 16 , and the full prospectus will be released on March 24 . Dealing will begin on March 30 , with share placing undertaken by Hoare Govett Corporate Finance Ltd.
Idiom: keep the wolf from the door (used idiomatically: yes)
The Wembley electoral college formula , giving the unions a bigger say in electing Labour 's leader than either activists or parliamentarians , was a triumph of defiance over common sense . The unions , facing their own penury , have in any case proved decreasingly willing to bankroll a party incapable of winning elections . Party leaders now hope that sufficient union members can be persuaded to affiliate in their own right both to keep the financial wolves from the door and to revitalise a sometimes decaying local structure . It is the correct approach , but it is not enough . Labour 's real problem is not avoiding offence , but achieving product differentiation .
Idiom: get a grip (used idiomatically: yes)
Well I still It 's still solid is n't it ? I still , I s it 's still swollen and I still have n't got my full grip , I 'm seeing the surgeon again today Mm . but er I 'm having physio er privately you know on , on the thing
Idiom: call it a day (used idiomatically: yes)
I have had guests who have been speechless , monosyllabic , obtuse and recalcitrant , but more often because of nerves or discomfort than deliberately so . People are rarely so rude that you can say , ‘ Look , we 're not enjoying this , are we ? Let 's call it a day.’ Nerves can play havoc with someone 's ability to tell a good story . And it can get awkward when people take things too Literally — you say , ‘ Hello , how are you?’ and twenty minutes later you 're still listening to their philosophy of life .
Idiom: on someone's mind (used idiomatically: yes)
Money - Go - Round : Facing the risks of Down 's syndrome By CHARLOTTE BEUGGE EXPECTANT parents have many worries on their mind aside from the naming of the child . The possibility of a child being born with a handicap is not only an emotional worry but caring for the child in the future will be expensive . With this in mind , Lloyd 's of London underwriters have launched Babycover , which will pay on the diagnosis of a child being borne with one of five medical conditions .
Idiom: walk free (used idiomatically: yes)
His solicitor quickly gave notice of an appeal on the grounds that he is not mentally ill , a process that could take months to complete . Farmer is cleared of assault A 26-YEAR - OLD Keady man walked free from court yesterday after being cleared of fracturing a man 's skull in a pub brawl . Unemployed farmer Francis McKeever , of Clay Road , denied assaulting Paul McNally causing him actual bodily harm on August 9 last year . A jury at Armagh Crown Court heard how Mr McNally suffered head injuries during an incident in the Derryvale Inn outside Keady .
Idiom: break even (used idiomatically: yes)
£ 2 per CD Unit sales required for : Contribution break even 110,000 albums To recoup advances 350,000 albums When signing a new artist the negotiating strength mainly lies with the record company .
Idiom: pull the plug (used idiomatically: yes)
An investigation into how he managed to escape so easily is now underway . Axe for 999 computer THE plug has finally been pulled on the London Ambulance Service computer that may have been responsible for up to 20 deaths last week . Worried managers made the decision after the computer crashed for the second time in 10 days . The LAS admitted yesterday there had been one case of a 25-minute delay in sending an ambulance .
Idiom: one of those days (used idiomatically: yes)
Sometimes there might be the temptation to leave it until the next day if the weather is bad or your car will not start . Occasionally , in spite of the long time which has gone by without so much as a cuddle , you have a dreadful day and you just do not feel in the mood . A friend of mine had one of those awful days at work when she felt like hitting everyone and shouting at everybody in sight . She came home and screamed at her husband . Then she screamed at the children .
Idiom: round the bend (used idiomatically: yes)
And then you turn right where there 's that big well it 's sort of obvious where you turn right . Umm It 's Leonard Road and then you turn right into umm forget the name of the road now . But as you go round that bend , there 's a turning , as you go round the bend and you go down . And I think it 's signposted Penge or something and you turn right there . And you carry on straight all the way down there and just carry on straight , and then you come to umm a road that Kent House Road goes that way Kent House Lane or Kent House Road .
Idiom: in the flesh (used idiomatically: yes)
It is argued that zebras , unlike antelopes , spend a great deal of time grooming one another 's bodies , especially in the neck region . It is a friendly act of mutual benefit to the two animals involved , since they can not groom themselves in this region . When they are engaged in this ' bonding ' act , that helps to cement their friendships , their necks twist towards one another and this causes vertical folds or furrows to be formed in their flesh . Because of the way that the two animals stand in relation to one another while grooming is going on , it is these vertical lines that are placed slap in front of their ' nearside ' eyes . All the while , as they groom , they see a vertical pattern of skin - folds .
Idiom: across the board (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ It makes everything quicker and saves money so there is a good reason for businesses to switch to EDC,’ says Michael Edwards , hotel director American Express . ‘ And we will be offering incentives to encourage them to make the change.’ With businesses looking at cost cutting across the board , American Express has also been targeting a new market . Broadening its target market from the five star category , it is now looking to the small independent hotel and restaurant , establishments which businessmen are tending to use more frequently . ‘ We run into a problem with this market , however,’ says John Petersen .
Idiom: out to lunch (used idiomatically: yes)
Neither suggested a further meeting . Angus , who admired guts and gumption , had missed the adventurous and spirited Miranda even more than he expected . He asked her out to lunch because he hoped that she had missed him . He had kept a discreet close watch on Miranda , who , he knew , had not been seriously involved with any other man since she broke off their engagement . Angus reckoned that fast business expansion was absorbing all her time and energy , which was why he had decided to take things one step at a time and discuss only business over luncheon ; a business chat would avoid putting either of them in a rejecting position .
Idiom: behind closed doors (used idiomatically: yes)
Thierse called upon the SPD to act more as the party of the opposition in Bonn , saying that the SPD must not leave the impression of dealing behind closed doors with the federal government .
Idiom: in the raw (used idiomatically: yes)
Their approach is to go back to first principles , looking at the constraints that link objects and events in the real world to what happens in the retinal image and then looking for rules that can be used unambiguously to recode retinal events in terms of the outside world ( Poggio , Torre , and Koch 1985 ; Ullman 1986 ) . Take , for example , the problem of an edge . To most of us the location of boundaries is self - evident but , surprisingly , boundaries of an object are far from obvious in the raw visual image which consists of a continuously varying distribution of light intensities across the retina . The location of edges has to be reconstructed by the visual system . Is there an invariant property that links edges in objects to the retinal image ?
Idiom: join the club (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Things have never really been the same since Brian left.’ He denied allegations he was leaving because the Quakers are in Division Three 's relegation zone . ‘ I joined the club when it was going into the Vauxhall Conference and people were saying it was going under . No one can question my commitment to Darlington Football Club.’ Mr Corden took over as chairman in 1989 and pulled off an immediate coup by appointing Brian Little as manager .
Idiom: take someone's word for it (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Imagine leaving you behind without showing you what was what!’ He shifted again , urging her to greater daring as her mouth continued its explorations . ‘ I could never have taken your word for it … Do n't stop,’ he commanded huskily as she lifted her head . ‘ You 're so lovely,’ she said , not listening to him but sliding her hands hungrily down his flanks .
Idiom: on board (used idiomatically: yes)
Harry leant against the boathouse and puffed on his pipe . In his blue Guernsey sweater he looked every bit an old sea dog . His Gemini was ready , outboard fuelled , and Graham and I bundled our bags on board . One was exceptionally heavy , laden as it was with all manner of climbing ironmongery , wire brushes and ropes . I hoped it would be put to use , though there was a chance it might be just ballast for the journey .
Idiom: under fire (used idiomatically: yes)
His club , Northants , have already banned him for two games . And the TCCB disciplinary committee is due to meet at the weekend to decide whether to increase Lamb 's punishment for the awful crime of failing to get his comments cleared by Lord 's before they were published in the Mirror . However , the TCCB itself came under fire yesterday for allowing a similar attack by former England captain David Gower on India 's bowlers to be published in a new book — Gower : The Autobiography . With the Pakistan ball - tampering row at its height , Gower has embarrassed Lord 's by claiming the 1990 India tourists scuffed the ball at The Oval as they pressed for victory . Gower said : ‘ Their surreptitious scuffing - up on one side of the ball’ was quickly snuffed out by umpire Nigel Plews .
Idiom: under the table (used idiomatically: yes)
Oliver said ‘ I know ! Let 's get under the table!’ Lily said ‘ Yes , let 's get under the table!’ So they got under the table , and wriggled around our legs making the dishes rattle , and we did n't stop them
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: yes)
( b ) The father had never stopped loving his son . Anxiously , he spent the days watching and waiting , constantly looking down the road , longing for his return . At last he saw him and ran to meet him and joyfully welcomed him . The son did not even get chance to finish his prepared speech .
Idiom: in the same breath (used idiomatically: yes)
Instead they make selections amongst the many variations of ‘ masculinity’ and ‘ femininity ’which suit their control purposes . A girl may simultaneously have to wear a masculine tie ; show womanly ‘ maturity’ ; conceal feminine allure ; present a female non - assertive front in the classroom ; and read male - oriented textbooks . Teachers in the same breath convey the message that they value ‘ quiet’ pupils ( often girls ) , while patently giving more time and attention to noisy pupils ( often boys ) . Such contradictions may inspire various forms of strategic pupil resistance , and preclude any permanent ‘ socialisation’ into a pre - determined sex role . I have thus found the study of pupil deviance a fertile valley for optimism to set beside the forbidding mountain - like permanence of theories of gender reproduction .
Idiom: perish the thought (used idiomatically: yes)
You 're not into any of this bunjee jumping or free fall parachute jumping of anything ? Oh ! Perish the thought you have to be certified to do that . I do n't know how they 've got the nerve actually , it 's quite terrifying just to watch it . Okay .
Idiom: on the ground (used idiomatically: yes)
The five-year-old will race off a 16lb higher mark in future handicaps after bolting up at Cheltenham . But he really is not worth backing at around evens , and I prefer JOPANINI , tremendous each-way value at 6-1 with Ladbrokes . Nicky Henderson 's gelding is suited by a stiff two miles on this ground , and is well in on the same mark as his Cheltenham victory . 3.00:DAVID Nicholson 's Waterloo Boy made an excellent start to the season when beating Katabatic at Exeter . But he faces a much stiffer task than when winning this race last year , and he is most unlikely to cope with DEEP SENSATION .
Idiom: pick up the tab (used idiomatically: yes)
The discussions before the crisis illustrated how little had been done to repair economic fundamentals . The European ~ Central ~ Bank 's vehement opposition to what is essential to all capitalist economies – the restructuring of failed or insolvent entities ' debt – is evidence of the continuing fragility of the Western banking system . The ECB argued that taxpayers should pick up the entire tab for Greece 's bad sovereign debt , for fear that any private - sector involvement ( PSI ) would trigger a " credit event , " which would force large payouts on credit - default swaps ( CDSs ) , possibly fueling further financial turmoil . But , if that is a real fear for the ECB – if it is not merely acting on behalf of private lenders – surely it should have demanded that the banks have more capital . Likewise , the ECB should have barred banks from the risky CDS market , where they are held hostage to ratings agencies ' decisions about what constitutes a " credit event . "
Idiom: under the microscope (used idiomatically: yes)
They 're standard army ammunition , but not necessarily issued to the British Army — again , the Ministry of Defence should be able to tell you if they 've come from some British Army depot or not . There is n't much else to say . I 've examined each round under a microscope , and none seems to have any fingerprints , except the one that you packed separately , which you say you found in the mud . That has one good fingerprint on it . " " Yes , it 's almost certainly mine , but I 'll get it checked , of course .
Idiom: make tracks (used idiomatically: yes)
Brush yourself down while you 're waiting . Here.’ He thrust the clothes brush into the bewildered Prendergast 's hand , patted him on the shoulder , and made tracks for the Personnel Director 's Office by a circuitous route that did not take him past his own . ‘ Mr Prendergast 's just popped out,’ said his secretary . ‘ I know,’ said Vic , striding past her and shutting the door of Prendergast 's room behind him .
Idiom: alive and kicking (used idiomatically: yes)
An OTC dealer loyally argued against him with a vigour that is rarely seen in a university environment . " You speak of the OTC market as if it does n't exist . Let me assure you it 's alive and kicking,"he said , reeling off an impressive string of figures . The lecturer shook his head , smiling faintly . That dealer is now a stockbroker .
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: yes)
Pilade was asleep , leaving her arms free for the precious embrace she longed for . On she walked , quarter of a mile , half a mile , watching the sun begin to set and knowing that when it touched the horizon she might see the horse coming and Ferdinando waving and maybe , if he was not slumped asleep in the saddle in front of his father , maybe another small hand too . The moment that red ball began to flatten , she sat on a rock and strained to see along the flat road , along the plain leading to Siena , and sure enough she saw a black dot which grew larger and became a single horse and then she stood up and began to run towards it , waving and shouting . A few yards on and she saw there was no answering wave and she faltered , uncertain if this was Ferdinando or some other lone horseman before whom she would make a fool of herself , but the closer he came the more sure she was that this was her husband and then she chided herself for thinking he had hands free to wave when one was needed for the reins and the other to hold the child . She stopped , her hand to her heart and smiled and resolved to wait and be calm .
Idiom: close to home (used idiomatically: no)
Most likely there will be someone in the close family or a reliable friend . If a social worker comes to see your family , you can ask what is being planned for your future . If there is no - one close to home to talk to , or if you want to talk to an independent person about your worries , you could telephone ChildLine or Barnardo 's . The numbers are listed at the end of this leaflet . HIV STORY
Idiom: catch fire (used idiomatically: yes)
I was just a boy and it affected me deeply . I was in the air force a few years later.’ Over the years he has pieced together the plane 's last , dying moments from the second one of its engines caught fire . He has run a quiet , determined campaign for a lasting memorial to be erected to the men who died . At last , it looks possible .
Idiom: new blood (used idiomatically: no)
A SUCKER FOR MEDICINE The leech is making a comeback in medicine , according to Roy T sawyer , whose company Biopharm in Swansea has developed medical applications for leeches . They 're useful in surgery to keep blood flowing at the right speed and sucking old blood from re - attached parts so new blood flows in quickly . Sawyer runs the world 's only leech farm and 75 % of them are sold abroad , to hospitals , schools and universities . They cost £ 4.50 each .
Idiom: few and far between (used idiomatically: yes)
Women in the community need to find out what is possible for us as a prerequisite to identifying what is not available and what we would like to see . Options need to be created and opened up for women . Successes in the area of women 's employment , though few and far between , were mentioned . A small number of cooperatives and self - managed enterprises have got off to a good start . Women continue to struggle against the tide of agencies like LEDU and are beginning to force these agencies to take the issue of women 's employment more seriously .
Idiom: cold comfort (used idiomatically: no)
Inflation rate no help for jobless JOHN HUSBAND ANOTHER drop in the inflation rate was cold comfort yesterday for the 2.74 million jobless . It fell in July from 3.9 to 3.7 per cent— the lowest level for four years . But it follows 27 consecutive months of rising unemployment and record business failures .
Idiom: for good measure (used idiomatically: yes)
I have n't got an intricate mind . I 've always been hopeless at riddles . I ca n't even solve crosswords,’ she added for good measure . His shoulders moved in a slight shrug . ‘ Yet you can be devious enough.’
Idiom: sign of the times (used idiomatically: yes)
The NME at its least incisive , least selective , least artful and most un - excellent ! Blame can not be laid at the doorstep of any single photographer , designer , journalist or editor — this is not intended as a smug pop at our predecessors , nor a dig at individuals . No , the bad cover is always a committee cock - up , a sign of its times , or at the very least , one that got away … Once again , enjoy . April 5 1975 His latest album was ' The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table ' .
Idiom: up in the air (used idiomatically: yes)
He kept smiling , to put them at their ease , and climbed into the box . Then he gave them another wave . One of the humans reached down gingerly and picked up the box , lifting it up in the air as though Masklin was something very rare and delicate . He was carried to the truck . The human got in and , still holding the box with exaggerated care , placed it on its knees .
Idiom: once in a while (used idiomatically: yes)
There 's my box see if you can fill it . Okay let 's go back to the I believe , what other things would you like to alter to sort out ? I believe the children should have their way once in a while Once in a while , once in a while