Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: make tracks (used idiomatically: no)
Mansell , speaking at the BBC 's Sports Review of the Year show , said : ‘ Damon deserves the opportunity to drive for Frank Williams . ‘ That 's because he 's been part of the package that won the championship , he 's done a phenomenal job and at the moment , he 's quicker in testing than Prost . ’ Hill has driven only two Grands Prix , making his Formula One debut for Brabham last May in Monte Carlo , the track once dominated by his double world championship-winning father . Super Stich back to his best Giles Smith in Munich
Idiom: follow in someone's footsteps (used idiomatically: yes)
When the politician died , everybody hoped the son would follow in his father 's footsteps .
Idiom: in light of (used idiomatically: yes)
Requests the authorities in Bosnia ~ and ~ Herzegovina to cooperate with the Commander of SFOR to ensure the effective management of the airports of Bosnia ~ and ~ Herzegovina , in the light of the responsibilities conferred on SFOR by Annex 1-A of the Peace ~ Agreement with regard to the airspace of Bosnia ~ and ~ Herzegovina ;
Idiom: out of sorts (used idiomatically: yes)
Pumping Spray for permed and curly hair refreshed and protects curls with hold The correct hair care regime results in beautiful hair that 's shiny and healthy Sometimes hair can look a little out of sorts , even with regular conditioning . Include an intensive conditioner in your routine and treat your hair to an additional boost every week or so . After applying , comb through to ensure even distribution and leave for a minimum of three minutes .
Idiom: stake a claim (used idiomatically: yes)
Looking back to that nightmarish night in the wake of her conversion , Mary can suggest only one explanation . Gary had indeed been consigned to Satan by his grandmother . It was only when Mary became a Christian that the devil came to stake a claim to his own property . But this conclusion was reached only after experiencing the hell that still lay ahead of them . There were moments of hope , such as the time Gary seemed to settle in the scouts , but they were dashed when he stole the troop 's funds .
Idiom: on edge (used idiomatically: yes)
By Jane Gordon IS N'T Christmas a fearful time ? It was n't the bomb in John Lewis that put my nerves on edge this year , even though I felt the echoing shudder of it . Nor was it the disturbing rumours that by December 26 the country could be in the grip of a new and particularly alien ‘ Made in Taiwan ’ midwinter flu . It was n't even the sight of Alf Roberts in Coronation Street collapsing with a suspected heart attack after eating too much Christmas pudding .
Idiom: on the stump (used idiomatically: yes)
In fact as we shall see , witchcraft ( or sorcery ) is generally invoked to explain why misfortunes befall particular victims , whereas how they occur is explained and understood in the prosaic matter - of - fact fashion we think of as being empirically true . Take a typical illustration . If a man walking through the forest barks his shin on a tree stump this is caused not by witchcraft , but by carelessness . People should look where they are going . Suppose , however , that the superficial injury swells up and develops into an incapacitating leg wound .
Idiom: out of order (used idiomatically: yes)
Its them that 's threatened to stopping them do the overtime with . Nothing you can do about it is well out of order Yeah , to go and work . Here was that Jaws Three or Four they showed , showed on Saturday night ?
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
One advantage of using Barclaycard , American Express or some of the Gold cards is that they offer ‘ purchase protection ’ . This means that if what you buy is stolen or damaged , you 'll get your money back . TRAP THREE : Going over your limit on a credit card can lead to two main headaches . First you 'll have the embarrassment of being told that payment has been refused . Then you 'll be unable to use the card — and may even have it taken away .
Idiom: do the right thing (used idiomatically: yes)
And because I knew too much . But the prospect of even more income from the delivery , made it all the more imperative that I got on and off Fraxilly safely . And in that moment I realized that by some deep - rooted instinct I was already doing the right thing . Almost automatically I 'd told Posi to shift the Netlines and double back . We were heading away from the Fraxilly sector , so Famlio could search in that area all they wanted .
Idiom: fight tooth and nail (used idiomatically: yes)
' I am a staunch supporter of the airport as it is a valuable amenity which has created jobs for both sides of the community . ' But I 'm not prepared to have this new expansion with all the congestion and noise it would cause and 90pc of people in the area will be up in arms . ' I will fight this tooth and nail and wo n't hesitate to organise a demonstration right outside the airport if necessary . ' A BA spokesman said the company was looking at Belfast City Airport but no decision had been reached . Jobs
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
So presumably you have to do it Do what ? Well , it says you can collect up to twenty five hundred premium points on your collecting card . Then you get another card . Then you get another card .
Idiom: no man's land (used idiomatically: yes)
Nizan never quite managed to come to terms with the childhood traumas originating in a family divided through crisis and non - communication . Nizan failed to resolve the problems arising from his divided class origins . Educated in one class , politically affiliated to another , Nizan was ultimately swallowed up in the no man 's land situated between both . Nizan was unsuccessful in his attempts to allay the suspicion that he did not really belong to the French communist party . His petty - bourgeois family background , his status as an intellectual conversant with the rites of bourgeois education , values and culture , his sophisticated literary and critical talents as a writer , all conspired to set him apart from the communist party leadership and rank and file members alike .
Idiom: work wonders (used idiomatically: yes)
Meanwhile , former Newcastle midfielder Phil Mason , 21 , aims to crown his fightback from a life - threatening car crash two years ago by helping Blyth Spartans into the second round at Southport 's expense . Mason has not been on the losing side since joining Blyth 16 games ago . Wessels century works wonders From Graham Otway in Durban SOUTH AFRICAN cricket forgot its apartheid past as the history - making first Test against India opened here yesterday .
Idiom: up the river (used idiomatically: yes)
Steam ? And they sorry Cos the the reason they , they er done away with the steam tugs and had a diesel , because a diesel you could start up and er when the dredging finished they tipped the tug at Ipswich and er if they want they one of the big ships up the river , cos then they could start the diesel up quite , right away , whereby a steam tug you a fire there all the time . I mean a steam tug you got to have coal and you got to have the old boiler , old boiler , you got to heat that up for the steam cos that did n't pay then . That was a , that was a tug .
Idiom: out of sorts (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Not so recently.’ ‘ What do you mean?’ ‘ I mean I 've always been out of sorts , I 've always felt like this — oh , you know — almost as long as I can remember.’ ( As long as the heaving green adumbrates the land , as long as time has refused to be some time but always now , as long as the humungus titles have zipped up from the seam between sea and sky , as long … ) ‘ Oh yes.’
Idiom: catch the sun (used idiomatically: no)
At an early stage the Roberts decided to do away with the lawn which sloped towards the house . ' It was laid on London clay which dried out in summer and became very muddy in winter , ' Claudia explained . Now , curved raised bed surround the garden , built in red brick paving , with steps down to an area where a table and chairs catch all the available sun . Claudia admits the tiered beds suffer from dry shade , but there is no noticeable lack of plants . The shadiest corner is enlivened with a wall fountain and pool .
Idiom: larger than life (used idiomatically: yes)
Lit"into the unreceptive skulls of rude mechanicals in Tom Sharpe 's Wilt ; Dr Petworth , the luckless linguist in Malcolm Bradbury 's Rates of Exchange — a practised cultural traveller — an academic like Norman Macaig 's — styleless , white and male , forty and married , bourgeois and British . Or the British academic , Philip Swallow and his American counterpart , Morris Zapp , in David Lodge 's Changing Places — " academics on the move , in the air , on the make " — who have exchanged the plate - glass , concrete jungle of Euphoria State University , USA , for the damp , red - brick University of Rummidge , UK ; or the unworldly dons of the 1987 television series , Porterhouse Blue . One explanation for all this brilliant caricaturing of college teachers might be that they really are larger than life , as portrayed . Or could it simply be that many of our best satirical writers were themselves college lecturers ? After all , not many business executives or lawyers write satirical novels or plays about their own profession .
Idiom: fit the bill (used idiomatically: yes)
That 's when men let their back hair down . And when I interviewed Ed he was on edge , very nervy . He 'd need someone as a safety valve — you fit the bill.’ She played with her lace handkerchief , just as she had done at Greenway Gardens . Newman lit a cigarette , blew smoke rings , watched them float up , collapse against a heavy wooden beam .
Idiom: under the table (used idiomatically: yes)
We can obtain acoustic quality at the expense of naturalness , and vice versa— but getting both together … To approach someone with a microphone and an innocent smile , asking for ' some natural conversational English , if you would be so kind ' , guarantees the acoustic quality but hardly the linguistic content . And to hide the microphone under a table or behind a curtain , while guaranteeing the naturalness of the content , does little for the acoustic quality — and of course raises an issue that President Nixon memorably pioneered . It took many years for linguists and sociolinguists to devise ways of getting the best of both worlds . William Labov thought up several such procedures in the 1970s .
Idiom: face to face (used idiomatically: yes)
Peace moves From KEVIN HAMLIN in Hong Kong CAIRO ( Reuter ) — Egypt named 12 Palestinians , approved by the PLO , to negotiate with Israelis in a proposed face - to - face meeting . They include Mohammed Milhem , and Akram Haniyeh as non - resident Palestinians , and Hanna Siniora , editor of the Palestinian paper al - Fajr . Rebel attack
Idiom: under the influence (used idiomatically: no)
Thus , his new commitment against the closed shop , through the acceptable voice of Mr Tony Blair , awaits only the sniff of power to be countermanded . Europe , on this reading , will swiftly go the same way . All in all , the entire Labour package is a massive con - trick , which a sinister shadow cabinet , behind its smiling mask of reassurance , is even now preparing to abandon under the narcotic influence of power . There are certainly some Labour MPs who would like that to happen . But to suppose that this picture bears the faintest resemblance to what the Labour leadership wants betrays something like paranoia cubed .
Idiom: by and large (used idiomatically: yes)
The dictates of continuous recording precluded the luxury afforded actors in the Film Industry — who could learn a few lines , act out one scene , rest , learn a few more lines , and so on . In Television , at this time , line discipline was as rigid as for twice - nightly , weekly rep in the Theatre . One saving grace was that television drama preferred scenes of short , crisp dialogue which artists , by and large , preferred to doing large chunks of monologue or narration more common in the Theatre . This form of dramatic presentation was the key to Carole Ann Ford 's own learning technique . ‘ It 's much easier if you can mentally align movement with lines .
Idiom: over the top (used idiomatically: yes)
Personally , I am sorry for the upsets at the third Test in Manchester , but many of our players are very young and keen . They look up to the English players and try to copy them as they feel that is the right way to behave . Sometimes they just go over the top . But whatever the papers think , and whatever the English management says , there has never been any trouble between us and the English players . Do n't blame them .
Idiom: follow suit (used idiomatically: yes)
The Foreign Minister Miliukov , however , was determined to pursue war to victory . Demonstrations against his policy , which took place from 18–21 April , precipitated a cabinet crisis . Miliukov and the War Minister , Guchkov , resigned and the whole cabinet threatened to follow suit unless the socialist leaders of the Soviet agreed to form a coalition . A majority of the EC , in which the Georgian Menshevik I.G. Tsereteli had emerged as a leading figure , had by this time adopted ‘ revolutionary defencism’ , accepting that until peace had been secured they must uphold the front . Reluctantly , and after much soul - searching , they decided to respond to Lvov 's invitation .
Idiom: split the difference (used idiomatically: yes)
But it is possible to reduce company car costs while increasing the employee 's perceived remuneration . This is because the cost of providing the car may exceed the perceived benefit to the employee . If the car costs the employer £ 6,000 a year while the perceived benefit to the employee is only half that , the employer and employee can split the difference by substituting an appropriate salary increase ( or other benefit ) for the car . Both parties are better off . The logic of exploiting the perception gap between the real cost of benefits and their perceived value to the employee can obviously be applied to other benefits .
Idiom: to boot (used idiomatically: yes)
Sometimes he got them going , and usually when he did , his repairs would last for years . From then on it was seeding and weeding . The only time I took off was the last week of June and the first week in July to watch Wimbledon — yes , we finally bought a TV , and a coloured one to boot , which seemed the height of posh . Nigel remarked gloomily that he did n't suppose it would make the programmes any better , but in a way it did . It was easier to see the ball during that sacrosanct fortnight .
Idiom: in the nick of time (used idiomatically: yes)
Washington and the Art of the Possible CHICAGO – These days , the United ~ States media are full of ordinary Americans venting their rage at the incompetence and immaturity of their politicians . Even though the US government ’s debt limit was raised in the nick of time , the process was – and remains – fraught with risk . Why , the public asks , ca n’t politicians sit down together like sensible adults and come up with a timely agreement that commands broad consensus ? If we can balance our household budgets , they ask irately , why ca n’t our political leaders ?
Idiom: go it alone (used idiomatically: yes)
Together we compiled an article for publication . It was raw , frank and eventually it appeared in print . By now the time had come for me to hand back to these women responsibility to go it alone . I knew that telling them would be hard but nothing prepared me for their anger and grief during our final month together . ' Was our sadness too much for you to bear ? ' asked an Iranian woman .
Idiom: free rein (used idiomatically: yes)
He was ill at ease with the gentleman scientists of his day and was treated as a mere technician by many . Consequently he never achieved any position of responsibility . He was happiest at the field meetings of natural history societies and the subsequent festivities , where he could give free rein to his talents as a ballad singer and after - dinner speaker . He was a not inconsiderable artist , illustrating many of his own books . Though politically progressive in his youth , he later joined the Primrose League .
Idiom: go for broke (used idiomatically: yes)
Midfielder David Hillier admitted : ' It 's going to be difficult — it will be their Cup final — but we have learned our lesson . ' We shall be treating them like a Premier League side . ' Going for broke Interview by Graham Otway EMBUREY is back in the England fold , on top of his game but on the bottom shelf at the bank .
Idiom: fall into place (used idiomatically: yes)
The International Atomic Energy Agency reports there are now 72 plants being built including two in Japan on which work started during the year . Sizewell B continues to be Britain 's only entry to the construction list . Scotland , on it 's own , would fall into sixth place . Hunterston and Torness together produced almost 50 % of all the electricity consumed in Scotland during the year . NEW DISMANTLING CELL
Idiom: come to mind (used idiomatically: yes)
continue unabated , fuelled by the fact that assessment of their performance and career prospects will be closely linked to their ability to be published in recognised journals . Turmoil evolving Turmoil is a word that comes to mind when one looks at the evolving British education system . Publishers and booksellers will have to pick their way through a landscape made strange and problematic by change . The main priority will always be to find some route to additional funding for books .
Idiom: out of order (used idiomatically: yes)
At present , there 's no denying that sectional conferences need some guidelines , I mean you only need one experience like last year 's Apex conference to realize that . Admittedly the confusion was n't entirely the fault of the SOC , the mood of the delegates did n't particularly help but the situation was something like this . We were allowed to debate a motion on homelessness but a motion as a previous speaker has said , on toxic shock syndrome , was ruled out of order , as it fell within the remit of Congress . Confused ? So was I.
Idiom: armed to the teeth (used idiomatically: yes)
The political leaders of black Africa , gathered last week in Dar Es Salaam , endorsed the Rhodesian ANC policy of ‘ one more shot at settlement’ . If it fails , war is on ; and Southern Africa can become a Vietnam . But a Vietnam with a difference , for the whites , armed to the teeth and economically mighty , will fight as the South Vietnamese and the Americans never did . Yesterday morning we sat at breakfast with a young farmer , who left the table to join his unit in the Zambesi valley where the guerilla war rages . He went because he had to , leaving his farm for 28 days to live day and night in the bush , protecting the African villages from raiders armed with Chinese weapons .
Idiom: off the shelf (used idiomatically: yes)
The Menlo Park , California - based company 's market research has found that users are interested in running Mac programs native under Motif out of performance considerations and have little truck with bulky emulators . Luckily Equal is not an emulator . Quorum also found 80 % to 85 % of its potential audience are interested simply in running off - the - shelf Mac packages of Word and Excel : this is what Quorum is currently polishing up and will be showing . It says other programs run , but the company will have to ward off criticism that it does not have a significant inventory of tested packages . Quorum will also announce a long - awaited deal with Adobe Systems Inc to license its software developers ' Latitude for converting its Macintosh programs to the Unix system under Display PostScript , Motif or Open Look .
Idiom: in broad daylight (used idiomatically: no)
We now know that during the Saturday daylight raids on London , a chiefs - of - staff meeting took urgent action on deciding that invasion was likely within a few hours ; they had the code word ‘ Cromwell’ flashed from the War Room to military units at 20.07 hours that evening ( which presumably led to the flap at my unit ; the station commander was away that weekend , and the acting CO in charge ) . It also transpired that parts of England ( east and south - east ) were put on full invasion alert at the time , but it seems that ‘ Cromwell’ had been ignored in some places where the junior officers who happened to be on duty had not been let into the secret of what it meant . The morning papers gave no hint of anything amiss and , in broad daylight , the events and the disturbing stories of the night seemed like a bad dream . L. R. Sidwell Poynton , Cheshire . MY MOST vivid memory of Shingle Street , where I was stationed between July and November 1940 , was the issue of … 300 Canadian Ross rifles to our Company together with … 303 ammunition that did n't fit the breech .
Idiom: few and far between (used idiomatically: yes)
Horses which rear , nap or are bad in traffic should only be dealt with by professionals , who knows what they are doing and are prepared to take the risks involved . Everyone knows of someone who is said to have paid £ 500 for a horse advertised in the local paper and ended up with a star . Bargains are , unfortunately , few and far between : the horse world does n't believe in holding January sales ! But by the end of this series you should be in a position to find the right horse at a fair price — and that 's what every horse buyer should be aiming for .. Lynn Russell produced show horses for Bailey 's Horse Feeds and runs the Horses Galore agency from her yard in Dunsfold , Surrey
Idiom: know the score (used idiomatically: yes)
ANOTHER DINGBAT WRITES I have long been a professor in the University Of Life . I 've been around a bit , I 've learned a thing or two , I know the score . And if there 's one thing that really bugs me , it 's trendy , middle - class liberals like those who write in Hot Press and their apologies for Provos , puffs , poets , transvestites and assorted other wankers . Why do n't you people fuck off to Cuba or Albania where you belong !
Idiom: see the light (used idiomatically: yes)
You might give them a clip round the ear . If you were too soft with them , they would n't move . S. H. Patrolling up Prescot Road during the war , if I saw a light on , I used to shout , ' Put that bloody light out , ' and if nobody put the light out , we used to let fly with a brick . They come down then and says , ' Who 's broken my window ? ' and I used to say : ' Yes , I broke the bloody window — go in the station and tell them you would n't put the light out,'and they got a summons on top of it . Arrest , too , could involve both formal and informal procedures .
Idiom: on the game (used idiomatically: no)
Peter Robinson , Liverpool 's chief executive , said the plan for top English , Scottish and Irish clubs to play a knock - out competition had been the basis for the agreement to reduce the First Division . Liverpool and other members of the Big Five have rejected the Zenith Data Cup . Robinson says : ' We are playing on average 10 games less than when in Europe , and the fans are n't happy . ' Steve Bull is taking a two - day break from training . The Wolves manager Graham Turner said the striker 's first full England game last week had tired him so soon after a three - match ban .
Idiom: to say the least (used idiomatically: yes)
I mean these local elections only took place what , erm four weeks after the general election , the Conservatives were on a high and conversely therefore you could say that what ? Labour voters are gon na be disillusioned Labour Labour voters were er to say the least dis disappointed I think is more the , is the word rather than disillusioned is n't it ? Disappointed .
Idiom: on the run (used idiomatically: yes)
I wrote : ‘ These are the questions that really bug me about you . Please will you reply , otherwise I will leave you on the station and tell my friend 's mother that you are not coming with me after all . Number One : Are you on the run from the law ? Yes / No . Number Two : If I borrow anything from you , will I be receiving stolen property ?