Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: in the pink (used idiomatically: no)
The blue paint of the practice stalls was scarred with initials and hearts and anarchist signs among others . It occurred to me such deceptive ' little angels ' would not be above nicking the odd relic if they happened to come across it . I was wandering between the stalls , searching , though with little hope to be honest , when a bright object caught my eye : hanging from a music stand , beside the piano , was a three - inch knitted choirboy in pink and purple with white knitted ruff . The face , with its black bead eyes and singing mouth — a vertical red line , one stitch tall — although knitted , was peculiarly alive looking ; its expression somehow innocent and wicked at once . It made me think of Cymbeline .
Idiom: have a ball (used idiomatically: no)
Then we might get some goals . ‘ We are dominating games , but just not punishing teams . I ca n't understand how we can have so much of the ball and end up losing . ’ Everton manager Howard Kendall called on his struggling stars to take a leaf out of Southampton 's book and scrap for survival like today 's opponents at Goodison . ‘ Nobody needs to tell anyone at this club how important our next two home games are .
Idiom: turn heads (used idiomatically: yes)
' He 's still alive but he 's lost a lot of blood . What he needs is a transfusion . ' She turned his head to make sure the breathing passages were clear . ' Oh , my God ! Look at his mouth !
Idiom: game on (used idiomatically: yes)
John Davies BRISTOL CITY look like being priced out of the market for Danish international defender Bjorn Kristensen . Kristensen plays his last game on loan from Newcastle in Sunday 's local derby against Bristol Rovers . City 's defence , which has conceeded 40 goals this season , has been strengthened since his arrival a month ago from St James ' Park . Kevin Keegan said yesterday he is asking £ 150,000 for the 29-year - old , but City will be hard - pressed to pay the Dane 's wages .
Idiom: no holds barred (used idiomatically: yes)
Smarter people know that nobody would believe any yarn that came anywhere near the truth . I once knew a guy who decided to write one of these thousand - page Marathons about Faketown . He told me he was going to shoot the whole works , no holds barred . Could have done it , too , only when he was about a third of the way through , he was killed in an automobile accident . A typical drunk - driving misdemeanour , it said in my paper .
Idiom: push someone's buttons (used idiomatically: no)
midway through the second half Oxford at last found an answer … David Penney cracked home a good un … but that pushed Southend 's scoring button and they hit back with two more … Otto made it five - one … and a minute later Mooney made his hat - trick … 6 - 1 to Southend …
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I set an alarm . I wanted to be up . Mom said I should n't miss the dawn at sea , she said it 's kind of beautiful.’ She rested her head against a cushion so that she could stare straight up through the network of rigging and past the light - blanched sails to where the stars wheeled their cold fire beyond the mastheads . ‘ Where are we?’
Idiom: state of the art (used idiomatically: yes)
THE Somme Association has received a £ 100 , grant from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board towards new facilities for visitors to the Ulster Memorial Tower at Thiepval in France . Built near the site of a fierce engagement in the opening phase of the Battle of the Somme , the tower commemorates the thousands of soldiers of the 36th ( Ulster ) Division and the other regiments who fell in the successful assault on the German front line in July 1916 . As well as using the grant to provide a new cafe and shop , the association is also planning to stage a new exhibition at Thiepval using the latest state - of - the - art audio - visual technology to tell the Ulstermen 's story . Men of the 16th ( Irish ) Division suffered similar losses in September 1916 , and their story will also form part of the exhibition . Let 's talk about tax
Idiom: honours are even (used idiomatically: yes)
We should be building the Wales team around him , like the Australians built theirs around Nick Farr - Jones . ‘ But we seem to have this thing in Wales about always knocking our best players and looking around to try to put forward rivals who are n't as good.’ Moon , who is bidding to join his Llanelli team - mate Tony Copsey as Wales ' second English export , believed honours were even in the show - down of the two number nines . Strengths ‘ I think it was probably a score - draw between Robert and myself .
Idiom: hold someone's hand (used idiomatically: yes)
I could no longer talk or laugh freely , as I knew he only approved of serious moods and studies . I fell under his freezing spell , obeying all his commands without thinking . One evening , at bedtime , as he kissed his sisters good night , and was holding out his hand to shake mine , as usual , Diana said , laughing , ' St John ! You are n't treating Jane like one of the family ! You should kiss her too . '
Idiom: on the level (used idiomatically: yes)
Even resolutions that were prepared by the British and which , on a topical level , could be supported by them , are being delayed by their veto .
Idiom: behind closed doors (used idiomatically: yes)
Branch secretary Kevan Nelson said : ‘ The centre is a proven front line service providing vital support to the community . Rather than the need for the centre diminishing , it is now greater . ‘ It is unacceptable that a decision with life and death implications for many people should be taken behind closed doors without any consultation with staff or service users.’ But a council spokeswoman said : ‘ In the past two years , the crisis service has established a valuable role and done a lot of good work . ‘ It is regretted that the council is no longer in a position to continue to finance this service .
Idiom: get lost (used idiomatically: yes)
I never picked that up either . and it 's something that as a company erm we 're very careful of . You 've got , I think you got lost and the reason why you , you were getting yourself erm tied up in the figures and why there was less eye contact was because you were getting a little bit lost with those figures at the top of the page . Mm . Yeah I was I was n't happy with that .
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: yes)
well I oh where 's the blinking ad , advert in the fog are n't they ? look at that my god
Idiom: come to think of it (used idiomatically: yes)
' Do n't call me a charlatan , you miserable old creep , ' Otley would explode . ' Take him down ! ' the old fossil would splutter in a cloud of dust . Come to think of it , I could go to Bowness - on - Windermere till he was released . It might not be so bad after all . Tumbleweed had vanished leaving a bundle of pondweed under his chair but everybody else seemed reluctant to go and we stood about in groups while Aunt Bedelia and the ladies of the WI handed round cups of tea .
Idiom: get the picture (used idiomatically: yes)
' It is — ah — splendid and — ah — heartwarming to see you all here enjoying yourselves , and I want to say — ah — how much pleasure it gives my good wife and — ah — myself'(he could never work out whether it should be ' I ' or ' me')'to be able to entertain you in our modest home . But we have business to be done , too , tonight , and I know that many of you are anxious to have a chat to the — ah — instructors of your boys . And I know they are hoping to have a talk to you , too , because all of us here at Burleigh realize how important it is to get a — ah — total picture of the child , of his problems , his hopes , his ambitions , his — ah — ah — Hmmm . Now , Miss Gilberd , our valued teacher of the lower forms , will be in classroom 2B to talk to anybody who might wish to go along and see her ; Mr Makepeace will be in 4A ; Mr Farraday in the scientific laboratories , of course ; Mr Coffin in 5B … ' As the recital proceeded , the teachers began to drift off to their appointed confessional boxes , anxious to miss , on any excuse , as much as possible of the headmaster 's address .
Idiom: cry wolf (used idiomatically: no)
Business leaders to watch are Lord Hanson , Sir Paul Girolami of Glaxo and Sir Colin Southgate of Thorn EMI . Nigel Mansell will defy critics who lament his departure from Formula One and make a success of Indy 500 . Cry will be wolf By Tim Satchell THE Chinese Year of the Rooster starts on January 23 , but 1993 's Animal of the Year will be the wolf .
Idiom: make a go of (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ If I 'd taken more trouble with economics I might have been more effective as Prime Minister . But then , on the other hand , I believe in devolving your economics to the Chancellor of the Exchequer . If he ca n't make a go of them , nobody can.’ In one area he did , reluctantly , take steps to improve upon his lack of natural gifts . HENNESSY
Idiom: walk of life (used idiomatically: yes)
But a lot would protest against anything.’ But Mr Evans countered : ‘ Half our members are employed , a quarter are n't and a quarter are students . That includes teachers , lawyers , farmers , people from all walks of life . No one is paid.’ Top 20 singles
Idiom: on the shelf (used idiomatically: no)
So by mid - Silurian times the plates that are now in the northern hemisphere were again stable and low in relief . It would seem that the plates which had come together in the Taconian orogeny , with the subduction of a Proto - Atlantic plate and the westerly over - riding of the sedimentary Pile along the line of the Appalachians had now more or less stopped . The Wenlock / Niagaran limestones spread gently and widely on the shallow shelves . The lack of provincialism in Silurian fauna"probably reflects this stabilisation of oceanic plates that bad been temporarily welded together . Volcanicity had been again reduced to a minimum , though what there was showed itself very significantly along the line of the future Hercynian front .
Idiom: arse about face (used idiomatically: yes)
It made a strange sort of sense . She remembered waking up in a long room filled with covered beds ; knocking a uniformed man to the ground ; taking his gun and running . She felt disoriented : like Alice in Wonderland , everything seemed to be arse - about - face . ' All around you , ' said the voice suddenly . ' Where are you ? '
Idiom: night and day (used idiomatically: yes)
Saturday 3 December Birmingham Hippodrome It 's the final of ‘ New Faces ‘ 88’ and the theatre is crackling with excitement . Sound engineers , lighting technicians , set designers , carpenters and electricians have been working night and day , high on the adrenalin that 90 minutes of live T.V. induces . There 's a stretch - steel tension in the normally soothing make - up room , where nine intently concentrating make - up girls are tending the terrified contestants — and this is only a dress - run . Admittedly there 's an audience .
Idiom: tell tales (used idiomatically: no)
Police Sergeant Herbert Thorpe said that Drew had walked into the station and reported that trousers he had lost earlier had shown up and that he wanted the sergeant to inspect them . They were produced in court , where Sergeant Thorpe explained they had new pockets . The underlying inference was that Drew had had the pockets renewed because of some tell - tale stain . Then Sergeant John Harris took the stand . He gave evidence as to how he and other officers had approached Drew on 22 July and taken a statement .
Idiom: come to mind (used idiomatically: yes)
Their value will lie in their willingness to share intelligence in the common Northern interest . secondly , among regional development associations , local authorities , urban development corporations and the like . Voluntary and professionally based organisations too will have valuable contributions to make ( organisations like the Society of Education Officers and the regional organisations of the Engineering Council come to mind ) . These exist already , though few of them inter - regionally . at a third level of support , the local groups already mentioned , generally interested in local development and connecting to the special interests of e.g. , LEAs , TECs , Chambers of Commerce .
Idiom: spot on (used idiomatically: yes)
If they were the transmitter , or more likely the conductor , then as the receiver I was probably not tuned to their wavelength . One healer at the Centre always made me feel recharged . I must have been spot on his wavelength for I never left the quiet room after one of his healings without a sense , almost of VROOOOM ! Get up and go ! But then he also talked of the power of the mind and maybe that was part of the reassurance .
Idiom: on the button (used idiomatically: yes)
Or the day before ? Yesterday I think well m maybe the day before Friday . So she started to cry and all then and said she said she was sorry , and right enough she stuck to the time that we allow her to , she 's come in last night dead on the button . Did she ? Oh yeah , yeah .
Idiom: out of the blue (used idiomatically: yes)
I mean I , well , I mean you know , I suppose it is , erm Does it have er , where some authorities have a Tell Alistair because erm , he 'll enjoy the joke because , Emelda came down to us you see , she arrived at lunch time , out of the blue to us Yes and said that Christopher was on interview and er if he got through the first part to the second part he would in the afternoon he would give us a ph a ring , erm but he , by ten to two he had n't phoned so she assumed he was on his way back having
Idiom: pissed off (used idiomatically: yes)
I 'm not I 'm not overly fussed about this five C D carousel . But it 's good , do n't get me wrong , it is well well but I really do n't think you need it . Cos I , I mean I tend to change my mind about I 'll be listening half way through a song and then get pissed get pissed off with the album and go and Yeah I know . change it .
Idiom: for a song (used idiomatically: no)
so er , talking for half hour Yeah and er I thought er , I 've been playing about with the old ear for a song for a long time , but I ai n't worked the cords out so , well between the and er , I was saying to old
Idiom: think twice (used idiomatically: yes)
A young care - leaver 's chances of being made a housing priority vary from one in three in Scotland to one in four in a London borough or metropolitan authority , to only one in eight in the South of England . Even if a place is found there 's the bills . Years of moving from one home to another , having meals cooked for you , never having to think twice about leaving lights on or taps dripping is hardly the best preparation for surviving in a bedsit on a YTS wage of £ 29.50 a week ( trainees do n't qualify for income support ) . One unforeseen bill and the debts start piling up , one long delay in receiving housing benefit and the landlord may throw you out . Many people find themselves homeless within a year of leaving care .
Idiom: by the back door (used idiomatically: yes)
The defenders decided to place several artillery places on the river - banks to overlook the road down which the enemy would have to attack in order to get across the liver to lay siege to their objective . As the banks were rather steep the defenders spent several days cutting entrenchments and embrasures in expectation of battle . In fact , the skirmish never took place because the enemy crossed the river further upstream and took their objective ‘ by the back - door ’ . The defenders on the river - side fled across the river with their artillery places , leaving only the earthworks behind . Well , not quite .
Idiom: once in a while (used idiomatically: yes)
If this scenario occurred often enough , you would have taught her that , if whining does not work , a noisy tantrum will do the trick . You have only to give in a few times ( out of many when you stick to your planned ignoring ) to lose the battle . The occasional or once - in - a - while reward ( intermittent reinforcement ) will consolidate an established bad habit more effectively than a reward given every time . ( The effective use of intermittent reinforcement as a rewarding strategy is discussed on page 59 . ) Let us look at two examples of these principles applied to two common disciplinary ‘ problems’ .
Idiom: cut and thrust (used idiomatically: yes)
A commentator is the most important component of any major Rokkaku challenge . Kite and team identity must be relayed to the spectators with live - wire intensity . This is a cut - and - thrust spectacle where as many as 24 kites out of 25 have been cast off , their lines to float down in defeat within twenty minutes . The contest demands physical energy and not a little skill from the flyers . It should never be mute and matter of fact .
Idiom: jump the track (used idiomatically: yes)
LOYALTY IS SILENCE There are times when your life seems to jump tracks . Slow train to fast , local to express . You have the sense that , from now on , you 'll be travelling on a different line , you 'll be seeing different views through the window .
Idiom: song and dance (used idiomatically: yes)
It was either because they were non - Greek speakers or because the Romans had trouble understanding the Celtic tongue . To them it was all bar - bar - bar . Not much remains of them , not much of their songs and dances and stories , ‘ the things,’ as the Dorman says , ‘ which make human life worth living.’ But the Barbarians were all right , something to be remembered when you espy pot - bellied , spikey - haired British youth this Friday . About face
Idiom: rock bottom (used idiomatically: yes)
But by then German ace Mathias Sammer and new signing Salvatore Schillaci had already put Inter 2 - 0 up . However , Schillaci , Italy 's sensation of the 1990 World Cup missed a penalty two minutes from time , after being foul by goalkeeper Giovanni Galli . On another high - scoring day , Dane Brian Laudrup scored two goals as Fiorentina destroyed rock - bottom Ancona 7 - 1 . Des Walker put his Spanish problems behind him as Sampdoria moved into third spot thanks to a 2 - 1 win at Udinese , while Lazio , minus Paul Gascoigne , registered their third consecutive draw . PLATT : Debut strike
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: no)
and he ran the blade of his knife across his thumb . What now , with the sun bursting from behind the head of the other man swaggering down the road ? Back home he quartered an orange with the knife and the juice on the blade pearled into droplets like
Idiom: in the flesh (used idiomatically: no)
So there you go . Dodging the Halloween parade in Greenwich Village heralds a fruitful evening beginning around 9 pm at CBGB 's , where the latest Sub Pop scallywags are holding court . Six Finger Satellite might look unpleasantly like a ' 90s misappropriation of Devo , but in the dressed - down flesh they are a groovesome hardcore update of Wire with a head honcho given to lurching about like an adolescent , erm , Lurch . Spicy , without a doubt . A dash down the road , and happily on the first song of Monsterland 's set has gone a - begging .
Idiom: keep a low profile (used idiomatically: yes)
That evening there was another line - up , when , as a result of the medical tests , four more people were turned away , including the Spaniard Alex had kicked , who had been found to be suffering from bronchitis . This was a relief as his coughing at night had irritated us , and it meant that Alex could stop hitting him with a broom handle when he woke us up . Although people would turn up every day to join , there was now a group of us who seemed likely to progress to Paris : Alex , Chris , myself , Marius the Scandinavian , the balding Swiss man , two Belgians and one of the Spaniards ( who now kept a low profile ) . The latest addition to our English - speaking group was a Rhodesian who had served in the Rhodesian Light Infantry in the war of Independence and who told endless stories of shooting black terrorists , or ‘ floppies’ , in cross border raids into Zambia . He called them by this name because , he said , they went ‘ floppy’ when you shot them .
Idiom: under the sun (used idiomatically: yes)
GH making things happen 1991 has been a marvellous year for Good Housekeeping and it 's largely thanks to you . Your letters , on every subject under the sun from houses to hypnosis , dogs to duchesses , soufflés to suburbia have kept us all informed and entertained , and your support has been fantastic . The circulation of Good Housekeeping keeps going up and up , which gives us all a great buzz . Meeting so many of you at our super readers ' events is also a terrific plus and 1991 has been hectic from beginning to end , thanks to Frances Barnes and her team , who , together with the hard - working Good Housekeeping Institute , arrange all our special reader occasions .
Idiom: make tracks (used idiomatically: yes)
His movement is steady and I admire him for it . I learn how to follow just a split - second behind him . Together , we make a smooth dry track upon the silver . Unbathed and weary from the bake of the sun and the refreshment of cool water , I am delicious with the skag inside my chest and the sweet , smoky aroma surrounding me , and the touch of my lover and his hot arms about my waist , and his ' …
Idiom: change hands (used idiomatically: yes)
The Labour Party gains its most consistent successes in London and the other major cities . The former LCC was a Labour stronghold . Although its larger successor , the GLC , changed hands regularly — from Labour in 1973 to Conservative in 1977 and back to Labour in 1981 — London remains the strongest source of Labour support in the South - East of the country . The GLC , of course , was abolished in 1986 ( see pages 44 — 5 ) . The Greater London boroughs have been divided in the past between the Labour Party which predominates in the inner - city and the Conservative Party which controls most of the outer suburban area .
Idiom: good offices (used idiomatically: yes)
While the mediator 's effectiveness is enhanced by strong and evident support from the Council , the General ~ Assembly and the relevant Member States acting in their national capacity , the good offices of the Secretary - General may at times be employed most effectively when conducted independently of the deliberative bodies .
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
But whether the accent on communications manifests as journeys or negotiations , the eclipsed full moon on the 9th will leave a lasting impression . This is a time of tension when the stakes may be high and a future plan hangs by a thread . But it is the solar eclipse on the 24th that holds the greatest potential for you : an addition to the family or change of location could be on the cards for next year . SCORPIO Oct 24-Nov 22 UNTIL the 21st , money matters are to the fore .
Idiom: change hands (used idiomatically: yes)
By lunchtime the tongues were really wagging and talk of LBOs , MBOs , an imminent sale of the management consultancy business as well as a bid featuring Bob Jacobi , formerly head of Ted Bates ( the US advertising agency Saatchi took over after a bitter battle three years ago ) were all fuelling the share price . The obvious temptation is to dismiss yesterday 's events as an old fashioned share ramp , but there is a niggling feeling that something more substantial is going on behind the scenes . Trading in the company 's shares was hectic and the 3.5 million Saatchi shares that changed hands by closing time is too high for a simple ramp . Ironically , the message of all this activity is that the market is intensely worried about Saatchi 's prospects . And with good reason : the signs are that Saatchi is finding it difficult to sell the management consultancy division alone .
Idiom: on the trot (used idiomatically: yes)
It seems everyone is waiting for Strach to have 2 quiet games in order to start ending his career . Macca has 2 quiet games and every slags him off . What about the 10 superb games he had on the trot recently ? How about another clean sheet for the defence ? Ill tell you why this fucks me off so much — because I get all this crap from the media too .