Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: call someone's bluff (used idiomatically: yes)
His calmness fuelled her fury still more . ‘ Do as you 're told — or you 'll be the one with regrets.’ She was tempted to call his bluff , hardly able to believe he 'd carry out his threat . Then she saw the look of steely determination in his eyes and knew he was more than capable of it . Much as it pained her to meekly obey , Shannon clambered slowly to her feet , muttering darkly beneath her breath .
Idiom: time will tell (used idiomatically: yes)
encouraging the private sector to identify further opportunities for providing public services under contract . These reforms are to be coordinated by a newly created Public Competition and Purchasing Unit in the Treasury . Time alone will tell whether these initiatives will significantly add to the drive towards improved VFM in central government , or , as so often in the past , will in the end have little effect .
Idiom: in no uncertain terms (used idiomatically: yes)
In April 1945 , a few months after Yalta , the world was stunned by news of Roosevelt 's death . The new President , the inexperienced but determined Harry Truman , seemed at first to take a tougher line with the Soviets . On 23 April he told Russia 's foreign minister , Vyacheslav Molotov , in no uncertain terms , that Russia must until its agreements with America in full in future . In July - August there was a more co - operative atmosphere at the Potsdam conference , where the Big Three agreed on principles for the post - war control of Germany , including its disarmament . But US confidence in dealing with Russia was bolstered soon afterwards by the use of the atomic bomb to defeat Japan , and in the two years following a breakdown in East - West relations occurred which , with the decline of Britain to secondary status , left Europe divided between American and Soviet spheres of influence .
Idiom: anything goes (used idiomatically: no)
What it is , it was a duke When our Scott I had it . I said it 's for when you 've got a blunt dart and you sharpen it . Well he , if anything goes like blunt he calls it flunt . Oh So he said oh you 've got have flunter .
Idiom: pull someone's leg (used idiomatically: yes)
If I can lever myself by hanging on to this … . No , God , that 's worse , much worse . You 'll have to pull my legs . I 'm absolutely stuck fast.’ ‘ You ca n't be .
Idiom: lose face (used idiomatically: no)
Nimble Charlie , Charlie light on his feet , skinny and quick and deft . Charlie once - upon - a - time … Now the face was lost in flesh and a paunch hung on him like a soft bell . Pascoe thought of Sophie and felt no jealousy . He felt sadness .
Idiom: dressed to the nines (used idiomatically: yes)
Belinda flinched as she saw who it was that had come out of the lift and addressed her . Deana Davenport , of course , and her catty comment had been somewhat inaccurate . Belinda was n't really dressed up to the nines . Deana , rather , was dressed down in old jeans and a slightly stained white blouse , finished off with worn thongs . She had evidently only come down to the foyer to collect her mail .
Idiom: in the long run (used idiomatically: yes)
We are not just sharing our furniture , we are jointly building a new and bigger house.’ In other words , the objectives of those who had contributed to the developments that culminated in Rome were ambitious and overtly political . The Six had reverted to Schuman 's view that political union could be achieved in the long run through a sustained effort at economic integration across a broad front . The sector by sector approach of the ECSC had proved too problematic . In the end the ECSC was still trying to integrate only one part of complex industrial economies , and could not possibly pursue its aims in isolation from other economic segments .
Idiom: on the nose (used idiomatically: yes)
Big for his age , he towered over Garry who was eleven . Garry had a long thin body , giving him a waif - like appearance . He was the only Ryan to wear glasses , which he was forever pushing higher on his nose , the thick lenses giving him an owlish appearance . Where Benny was dark - haired with the characteristic Ryan dark blue eyes and full - lipped mouth , Garry was the opposite . He had light brown hair and a feral quality about him that made people do what he wanted .
Idiom: put paid to (used idiomatically: yes)
Your Hero is Back and needs help to rescue the captured children being held by the Vicious Vegetables . We fell about laughing at the jogging carrots , head butting parsnips and other wacky characters as we jumped , climbed and ran about the many levels . A well aimed flower bomb soon put paid to the battling vegies , but only for a few seconds to give you time to pass , save the children and leave quickly . Shin up the fireman 's poles to heights never reached before but before careful the potato does n't bash your head in at the top . Game players every where are now queuing up for a copy of this excellent graphical game with breathtaking colours .
Idiom: up a tree (used idiomatically: no)
The Soldier climbed up the tree , let himself down through the hole , and found himself standing , as the Witch had said , underground in the large hall , where the three ~ hundred lamps were burning .
Idiom: have a heart (used idiomatically: yes)
For a start , the weather was atrocious when they most needed to acclimatize , and in their first seven weeks they had only seventeen days of cricket . Finding decent practice facilities was a constant headache , leading to some crazy situations ; in St Vincent , for example , Ken Barrington , the assistant manager , hunted all over for a place for Boycott to practise , and eventually found a piece of flat ground near the airport which had ducks waddling around and a donkey at long leg . There was the cancellation of the second Test after the Guyanese government decided to deport Robin Jackman because of his South African connections ; and then came the real tragedy , when Ken Barrington had a heart attack and died during the third Test in Barbados . By the end of that Test they were two down with two to play , and it is difficult to think of any England tour where such a low point had been reached . Yet in the last two Tests they fought back well , with some help from the weather which few could have grudged them , to earn draws , several batsmen contributing excellent fighting innings .
Idiom: come clean (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ What?’ said Memet , bringing the coffee to a third flourishing boil . ‘ Nothing,’ said Constance , ‘ nothing at all,’and she turned on Beethoven 's Fifth to drown the noise of Camille 's record player . She wondered , as she washed the dishes and Memet lay on the sofa with his feet on the cushions , whether some ancient warlock had ever discovered a truth drug while digging around among his herbs in the dark of the moon or even whether there was not some artificial chemical compound which would produce the same result and cause her lover to come clean about his dealings with women . The truth , she mused , as others had done before her , was an elusive element , and — short of shooting them in the kneecaps , or intermittently holding their heads under water there was little one could do to persuade people to reveal it . It was not , at present , the eternal verities which were occupying her mind but the simple gnawing question of what Memet had been up to behind her back .
Idiom: with a will (used idiomatically: no)
People tend to forget he 's 29 because he has got the enthusiasm and vitality of a teenager . Hatred Certainly , I 've never met anyone in football with as big a will to win and with such a hatred of losing as Ian . And although it 's a year since he left Selhurst Park , his spirit lives on . Many of our younger players have inherited his sense of enjoyment and that explains why our heads do n't drop and why we 're such a happy bunch even though we 're near the foot of the Premier League .
Idiom: take the plunge (used idiomatically: yes)
Window replacement is big business these days : we 're all constantly bombarded with television advertisements and leaflets pushed through our letter boxes , offering a wide range of different products , and it can be a bit bewildering knowing where to start . THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM Before you take the plunge , start by taking a close look at what you 've got . Things may not be as bad as they seem , and some thorough maintenance work may give your existing windows a new lease of life and save you a lot of money . It may be worth replacing putty ; squaring up and rehanging sagging casements and toplights completely if the frames themselves are sound .
Idiom: all over the place (used idiomatically: no)
It might be straightforward like that one . It might be an awkward one . Some of them have got arms going off all over the place . So if you 're if it 's a strange area to you it 's up to you to organize yourself . Do n't try and do it at too fast a speed .
Idiom: in the loop (used idiomatically: yes)
The news was predominantly heartening , as it became plain that investigation of endothelin action is entering a new phase with characterization of the receptors concerned and the advent of selective , potent and orally active receptor antagonists . Conversely , progress in identifying the elusive ‘ endothelin - converting enzyme’ has been frustratingly slow . Both are members of the rhodopsin superfamily with the receptor selectivity being determined by changes in the loop structures , including the location of cysteine residues in loops I and II ( ) . So a central issue at the meeting was whether a man is more like a dog , a rat , a pig or some other animal in terms of the distribution of endothelin receptors . Immunohistochemistry provides some clues , but caution must be exercised in drawing conclusions .
Idiom: read between the lines (used idiomatically: yes)
I know , dearest , that you could take a holiday this summer — You mentioned it would be possible . And I would have liked to invite you … ’ But she had not thought much about it because of the hint — reading between the lines — that soon they would be together always . She would become Viscountess Tristram . There would be the headlines , ‘ Carlton Star Weds Peer’ .
Idiom: change hands (used idiomatically: no)
This is one of the effects of lack of oxygen , but also of dehydration at the end of a long day 's excitement . It can be overcome if you recognise that you are tired and getting complacent , but the onset is very gradual and often you do not recognise that anything is wrong . If you give yourself a shake , change your seating position slightly , open the clear vision panel for some fresh air , change hands on the stick for a few moments and have a sweet or drink , you can snap out of it and start to work normally again . Think about the problems A surprising number of inexperienced pilots have n't really thought about how they would tackle having to land in a field .
Idiom: on a roll (used idiomatically: yes)
There are a few items of Interest , but generally , local news is scarce . In number ten we read that " The Royal Commission recommended the establishment of telephonic connection between the Rhynns of Islay lighthouse and Bruichladdich at a cost of £ 330 . " There were 166 pupils on the roll . Drink has always been a problem since men discovered how to distil and it is known that there were a great many small stills on the island . In 1883 the Kilarrow Free Church congregation formed a Total Abstinence Society and at the first meeting in January 35 people signed the pledge .
Idiom: come clean (used idiomatically: yes)
The Minister should make a statement of intent about that . It should have been substantially increased , as it is a useful contribution to the income of retired households at this time of year . The Government should index it or come clean and abolish it . It is unforgivable to leave it to wither on the vine . Increases in the costs of transport , housing and health charges and other costs for food , heating and clothing , are becoming unbearable for retired people in my part of the world .
Idiom: at loggerheads (used idiomatically: yes)
Moreover , “ innovation ” in financial markets has made it possible for securities owners to be insured , meaning that they have a seat at the table , but no “ skin in the game . ” They do have interests : they want to collect on their insurance , and that means that the restructuring must be a “ credit event ” – tantamount to a default . The ECB ’s insistence on “ voluntary ” restructuring – that is , avoidance of a credit event – has placed the two sides at loggerheads . The irony is that the regulators have allowed the creation of this dysfunctional system . The ECB ’s stance is peculiar .
Idiom: rise through the ranks (used idiomatically: yes)
Well there 's an argument to that 's what say that women have been discriminated against for so long that they just have n't had the opportunities to rise up through the ranks , and if they are ever going to achieve the kind of representation that they ought to achieve just by the sheer numbers that the represent in the population , apart from the quality , and there are a lot of people who would say that women are probably rather superior erm to a lot of men at an equal level Well I think that 's a sexist thing to say , actually , saying that men are superior No , no , no , hold on .
Idiom: in someone's pocket (used idiomatically: yes)
Well it goes into a pot , and it , it buys into different funds which are invested in different markets , erm , to give you some examples , erm , we can invest in property , we can invest in some securities , government securities , er , we invest in the Stock Exchange and we have managers who look after these funds , and they perform extremely well . And if you go and have a look at the tables , you find that Abbey Life actually makes your money grow faster than a lot of other insurance companies . And the benefits of this is that er , as you know , erm , inflation takes over , and we measure our spending power against that , five pounds in your pocket today , wo n't buy what tomorrow , what it bought this year , and next year , what it would have bought this year . So we have to keep ahead of that , because we 're planning the benefits for you , twenty or twenty five years ' time . So we have to make sure the money you pay to us , actually is going to grow so it gives you a very good return on that money in twenty five years ' time .
Idiom: in the driving seat (used idiomatically: yes)
GIANT KILLERS ! Three - goal blitz keeps CMS ahead A SUDDEN second - half blast of three goals put Corporate Management Services in the driving seat of a tense soccer battle with computer giants , MBS Technology . Despite two late goals by MBS , the BNFL side hung on to win 4–3 in a thrilling encounter in the Midlands . It was a fairly even first half and the teams entered the dressing room equal at 1–1 .
Idiom: to the nth degree (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Yes , indeed,’ said Corbett Farraday , in his enthusiastic , puppyish way . He was all of twenty - nine , but he acted thirteen , and he had great rolls of fat on his tummy , the result of unwise motherly feeding . He rested his glass on the paunch now , regarded them owlishly , and gave the impression , as always , of someone who had not gone through the usual process of growing up , but had remained a toddler , magnified to the nth degree . ‘ Is n't it incredible ? I mean , would you jolly well put money into this place ?
Idiom: catch someone's eye (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ It 's too rich for me — it always gives me indigestion . I do n't know why you keep serving it.’ Jannie cleared the plates away , catching Bob ' s eye for a moment and pushing her bottom lip up in mock guilt . Bob looked quickly away , trying not to smile . Dyson sat pouting and rubbing his hands together , glaring down at various parts of the table .
Idiom: on the house (used idiomatically: yes)
It reveals a vigorous and conscientious bishop , active in visiting , and often rededicating , the churches of his large diocese . He restored and augmented the collegiate church of Crediton and founded another college at Glasney , near Penryn ; and in 1268 and again in 1275 he undertook the revision and amendment of the statutes of his cathedral church . He is remembered also for his work on the manor house at Clyst , where he endowed a chantry chapel . During his last years he was involved in a bitter and ramified dispute with Edmund , Earl of Cornwall , in the defence of ecclesiastical rights following the encroachments of the earl and his agents . It was during these years too that an eastern extension was begun to Exeter Cathedral , with the addition of a square - ended Lady chapel with flanking chapels .
Idiom: stay the course (used idiomatically: yes)
Meanwhile , NATO planners desperately sought to identify targets that would either deny him the means of ethnic cleansing , or , more often , encourage him to reconsider his position . The intervention had its low points , perhaps none lower than the bombing of the Chinese Embassy , which was misidentified as a building that housed Serbian security assets – instruments of repression against Kosovo . There were also moments of great concern about whether the allies would be willing to stay the course as the days , weeks , and months passed , with no end in sight . Surely , those engaged in Libya today are feeling some of those same pressures . Back in March 1999 , few NATO leaders doubted that removing Milosevic from Kosovo by force was the right thing to do .
Idiom: come to grief (used idiomatically: yes)
The pre - emption thesis claims that the factors about which the authority was wrong , and which are not jurisdictional factors , are pre - empted by the directive . The thesis would be pointless if most mistakes are jurisdictional or if in most cases it was particularly controversial and difficult to establish which are and which are not . But if this were so then most other accounts of authority would come to grief . 5 . Objections
Idiom: for the hell of it (used idiomatically: yes)
Terry appeared to be having a nervous breakdown ; her mother was foolishly trying to be everything to everybody and only succeeded in adding to the confusion . By contrast , Phena seemed intent on avoiding everyone , and anyone who did deign to speak to her got snapped at for their trouble . Huw , a brown - eyed version of Feargal himself , accompanied by a pretty little blonde girl , looked as though he might enjoy causing chaos just for the hell of it . Of Feargal she saw no sign . The dog got over - excited and took exception to one of the chefs and had to be shut in the barn where he howled mournfully enough to wake the dead .
Idiom: rhyme or reason (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ What 's he got to do with it?’ they will legitimately ask ; members will complain . There are some days when my car soars around the M25 like a bird . There is not rhyme or reason to that road , and just occasionally , it is blissfully clear . There are days when members approach me , and say how much they enjoy the club members who thank me for enriching their lives . There are builders , architects , bankers , colleagues , consultants , and coaches ( with whom it is possible to share jokes and moments of relaxation , knowing what we have been through together and may have to face again , at any moment ) to see .
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: yes)
They may get to one of these people if they get a record deal without a manager , and if their record is a mega hit , but that is very unlikely . With most young bands , the manager is often the guy who owns the van . He or she may even be the local greengrocer who hears a band rehearsing down the road in the village hall . sometimes that works , though problems can arise when the band gets down to London . suddenly the greengrocer / manager has to choose between a safe livelihood and dedicating often sixteen or seventeen hours a day to the hurdle race of the music business .
Idiom: on board (used idiomatically: yes)
A new bus service means people are just a short journey from Beresford Buildings , which have undergone a £ 1.1 m refurbishment plan . Boat rescue : The pilot vessel Hadrian towed a dive support vessel safely back into South Shields yesterday after it broke down with four divers on board . Child blamed : A fire which badly damaged a house at Leam Lane , Felling , near Gateshead , was started by a six - year - old girl playing with a lighter , police said last night .
Idiom: on the ball (used idiomatically: yes)
Ah . two defenders coming up , they 're probably going to get to me so I 'm going to pass it as soon as I get it . What 's going on all around you so then you concentrate on the ball again . So you 're concentrating on the little bits you 're doing and then you 're Mm .
Idiom: move heaven and earth (used idiomatically: yes)
The pain in her head had dulled to a quite bearable ache , but her mind , she realised in panic , was still a blank . Her identity , her home , her family were still lost in the terrifying mist in her mind . And if she was missing from home why were n't her family moving heaven and earth to get her back ? She beat down a gush of self - pity , knuckling away tears as she slid gingerly from the bed to make for the bathroom again . As she reached the door a tall , dark shape blocked out the light .
Idiom: in business (used idiomatically: yes)
Circulation is international with subscribers in 80-plus countries . While journalistic skills would be useful , most important is : •Exceptional expertise and a passionate interest in business strategy / strategic management . •To provide strong pro - active editorial direction for an existing network of field editors . •To enjoy and be adept at networking with authors / contributors .
Idiom: make waves (used idiomatically: yes)
She 's getting into it now . Kicks off her obscenely expensive boots , sits up cross - legged on the sofa , just like the old days . ‘ We could really make waves ! Imagine , senior management finally getting off its collective backside and finding out , at first hand , what the front line has to grapple with . Have a firsthand look at our technology in action .
Idiom: out of the loop (used idiomatically: yes)
Johnnie also excelled at the job and adapted at the same rate as his friend . Jack well remembers his first shift on his own . He had let a light engine out of the down loop ready to go to Bolton and had refused the bell code for a fast down freight from Bradley Fold station box . He was just telling the driver of the light engine that he would be away in a minute , when from Bradley Fold station box came the 4 - 5 - 5 signal ( train or vehicles running away on the right line ) . As the heavy freight train rushed towards his box , the next box down the line at Rose Hill Junction accepted the light engine , telling the driver to accelerate .
Idiom: high as a kite (used idiomatically: yes)
oh yeah , yeah , yeah , I 've a bit of that little one a bit of gas , ooh , oh , hi as high as a kite radio , all oh my god is it ? Alright
Idiom: take the liberty (used idiomatically: no)
In their excessive respect for the text they may fail to bring their own ideas and their own critical attention to what they are reading . In this way the text is restricting not liberating . The mature reader , of whatever age , takes liberties with the text : ' Proficient readers can go directly to the meaning of the passage being read , only sampling the print for confirmation of the hypotheses they have made about the meaning intended by the author . In no way is the process conceived of as moving sequentially along the lines of print'(Chapman , 1987 , p.6 ) . The mature reader of literature knows when the author is taking liberties with him or her .
Idiom: man of god (used idiomatically: yes)
Go on , Miss Kyte . ' Saul Quatt turned his apprehensive gaze upon the companion , his frown shifting the spectacles upon his nose . ' I thought perhaps her ladyship , being , as I have heard , in such ill health , had need of my services as a man of God , ' he ventured hopefully . ' No , sir , ' Theda said , her sympathy roused . Poor man !