Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: have words (used idiomatically: no)
The collectors eventually split ranks , one group going off to stop cars and coaches . Not a few drivers were surprised to find themselves ' held up ' by a group of clowns as they entered the village . There were some who drove straight on , but most wound down their windows or allowed the clowns on their coaches , had a friendly word and came up with a contribution . Around noon , people began to congregate at the Cross Tree on the green , where all the village children were the recipients of the sausage rolls , cakes and other goodies that had been collected . Cheesecakes used to be made in quantity for the feast .
Idiom: basket case (used idiomatically: yes)
As an island in a Serb sea , Srebrenica 's future seems to lie in breeding a generation determined to liberate all Bosnia for the Muslims . This is an idea that could overtake current government policy that Bosnia should be a state of three faiths and three peoples , and provide the ideology for future Bosnian - Muslim terrorists . Though Tuzla is the only officially declared safe area in central Bosnia , in fact much of the territory between it , Sarajevo and Zenica , two other safe zones , will become a sort of basket - case protectorate . ‘ This risks being a humanitarian catastrophe,’ says Jose - Maria Mendiluce , the outgoing UNHCR boss for ex - Yugoslavia . General Philippe Morillon , the UN 's commander in Bosnia & Hercegovina , has begun negotiations to end the siege of Sarajevo and open UN - controlled ‘ blue routes’ through Bosnia .
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: yes)
A young child is running down a road made of gravel that is covered with dead leaves
Idiom: by and large (used idiomatically: yes)
Two other factors are worth mentioning here because they are often given as reasons for dispersals that could not obviously be justified otherwise . First , there is the question of condition : with a few exceptions the books listed have their entire life in front of them , certainly hundreds of years , and only a few are even what the booksellers would call ‘ reading copies’ . They are by and large perfectly sound . The point is important , because conservation has recently become the subject of fierce debate . The central thesis is that from about 1850 onwards various experiments were made in paper production which changed drastically the estimated life of books .
Idiom: pull out all the stops (used idiomatically: yes)
Bloomsbury House helped to get him off with a warning , but there was no further contact . The last heard of Karl was at the end of the war when he had a job as a waiter . There were occasions when Bloomsbury House pulled out all the stops on behalf of children who were clearly gifted — usually in the arts . At sixteen , Edgar gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in 1941 . Up to then he had been supported by the British Council , who now passed the buck to Bloomsbury House .
Idiom: in full swing (used idiomatically: yes)
' … tragically plucked from the bosom of his loved ones by a callous hand … ’ ' … a virtuous and well - respected life extinguished by the criminal violence of evil men … ’ The morning session at the law courts was in full swing , and the halls and corridors were crowded . Luciano Bartocci 's office was tall and narrow , with shelves of books that seemed to lean inwards like the sides of a chimney as they rose towards the distant ceiling . Two lawyers were facing the magistrate across a desk that occupied most of the floor space .
Idiom: come up trumps (used idiomatically: yes)
But the build - up to it had a familiar ring about it for Dave . The only change seemed to be the players , and the places ! Well , I survived my time with Seve , and in my first full year with Sandy I thought he was going to come up trumps straight away in the Open . He had his chance at Troon in 1982 when Tom Watson won . Sandy played with Watson in the third round , and Tom played so bad he convinced himself he would n't win .
Idiom: once and for all (used idiomatically: yes)
Many had testified to Josephine Butler 's impact on the rostrum . Hopkins had an equally clear awareness of the importance of personal presentation and she worked hard to perfect an appropriate style of public speaking . ‘ If anyone supposes’ , she wrote , ‘ that my power of speaking was a gift that came naturally to me , without any effort on my part , let them once and for all dispossess themselves of any such ideas . ’ Throughout her career she was subject to a range of nervous disorders . In common with Butler and Florence Nightingale , illness related to the strain experienced by middle - class women who moved into the public sphere .
Idiom: body blow (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ We want to get across the message that it is vital to continue campaigning,’ says BA director Tim Godfray . ‘ We really must campaign vigorously to ensure that the government stands by its earlier intentions and undertakings,’ adds PA chief executive Clive Bradley . Mr Godfray sent out a letter to some six hundred MPs on 25th January stating that ‘ A tax on books would be a body blow for education . In order for the UK to emerge successfully out of recession , the last thing the government should do is to make the acquisition of new skills and ideas , through education and training more expensive.’ He has so far , he says , received ‘ a number of very positive replies’ from MPs .
Idiom: on the game (used idiomatically: yes)
His father Arthur , who had played for Blackburn Rovers , Derby County and Portsmouth , worked there at the time . But within six months John was spotted by a Luton talent scout while playing in a county schools match and moved south to Kenilworth Road . He played in the days when the maximum wage was in force for professional soccer players and , unlike his modern counterparts , never grew rich on the game . But he said : ‘ I am not bitter about it , I would not have missed my time in football for the world , it was wonderful.’ Chef Jerry strikes gold
Idiom: now or never (used idiomatically: yes)
She stirred her tea listlessly . ‘ And mine . I saw you disappear in this direction , and decided it was now or never.’ ‘ What do you mean?’ ‘ Is something wrong , Juliet ?
Idiom: change hands (used idiomatically: yes)
Some police make quite a tidy income ringing up their contacts at the bottom end of Fleet Street whenever they have a customer of public interest . How else could it be so swiftly known that a prominent member of the Royal College of Acupuncturists , say , had been picked up during the night and pinched for drunk - driving ? There is no agreed tariff , but money most certainly changes hands . It so happened that the local station was still waiting on the True Brit for recognition of a tidbit passed on to that paper six months ago about a rural dean and a lady elephant - tamer . They had been told , once too often , that ‘ the cheque is in the post’ .
Idiom: come to terms with (used idiomatically: yes)
Cuervo is the Spanish for crow , which is the Celtic bird sent in by the Gods on the eve of battle . Paco Rabanne is easier to remember.’ ‘ The revelation of these fragments of past lives helped me to come to terms with my true nature , and to understand why I had been troubled in the past.’ —Mary Russell ‘ There is no doubt at all in my mind that we have all lives many lives before and that we have an individual life - force which never dies.’
Idiom: strike a chord (used idiomatically: yes)
Similarly , Labour in 1964 won because its message was in tune with the prevailing intellectual climate . There was a widespread feeling that the old order — represented by Etonians such as Harold Macmillan and Sir Alec Douglas - Home — had passed and that the age of the scientifically minded technocrat had dawned . Harold Wilson 's famous phrase ‘ the white heat of the scientific revolution’ struck a chord . The concept of French - style economic planning had become fashionable in the CBI and the Tory Party as well as among Socialists . Mr Patten went on to draw the obvious conclusion .
Idiom: in the offing (used idiomatically: yes)
With the reformers gaining the upper hand , 1986 heralded a new start in the reform programme aimed at tapping the reserves of knowledge and skill possessed by the educated elite in order to boost the flagging economy . The idea of introducing a degree of democratisation in the political sphere , put on the ‘ back burner’ since 1980 , was advanced again in the slightly more relaxed and optimistic atmosphere of the new year . It seemed likely that a second ‘ hundred flowers’ movement was in the offing , thirty years after the original one had ended in disaster for thousands of Chinese intellectuals . Times had changed , people were reminded . The open - door policy was set to continue and China was no longer governed by one all - powerful dictator , but in theory at least , by the ‘ collective leadership’ of the CPC .
Idiom: from scratch (used idiomatically: yes)
Sanskrit is the language of classical India , one of the oldest and most significant of the civilisations of the world . The courses at Edinburgh ( one of only four universities in Britain where an honours degree in Sanskrit may be taken ) aim to provide a detailed study of the manifold achievements , both secular and religious , of that civilisation . The first - year course is designed to take students from scratch to a level at which they can cope with simple Sanskrit texts ( the two texts studied in the first year are the Pancatantra , an ancient collection of humorous fables , and the Bhagavad Gita , the most revered of Hindu religious texts ) . In subsequent years , students of Sanskrit continue their study of language and also read Sanskrit texts , particularly in those fields in which the ancient Indian writers excelled , such as philosophy , poetry , drama and linguistics . Students may take either a full MA(Honours ) degree in Sanskrit , in which case a subsidiary related language such as Prakrit is normally studied in the last two years of the course , or a joint MA(Honours ) degree in Sanskrit and Greek , Latin or Linguistics , where both subjects are studied for all four years of the curriculum .
Idiom: man of the cloth (used idiomatically: yes)
Being an intellectual or bourgeois did n't help that much in itself but those of their own journalists and professors they 'd sent to the remote prison island of their archipelago , Guru , had n't been systematically tortured ; just neatly excised from society for twenty years or the stay of their natural existences . In their eyes Martinho had some mystique , as well as usefulness . He 'd survived where they had eliminated some of his followers because they took him at his own estimation , a man of the cloth . And the fact that I was Chinese , like many of the top brass 's personal financial advisers , for once helped . Yet I was careful to ration what I told them .
Idiom: on the ball (used idiomatically: no)
ENGLAND captain Stuart Pearce was at the centre of an amazing touchline bust-up yesterday with Spurs substitute Gudni Bergsson . Tottenham coach Ray Clemence and physio Dave Butler dragged their man away . With three minutes to go , Bergsson was warming up and held on to a ball that went out of play . Pearce , wanting to take a quick throw-in , grabbed the ball and pushed him on the cinder track surrounding the pitch . Bergsson reacted angrily , pushing his head against Pearce 's and then grabbing the controversial full-back by the throat .
Idiom: piping hot (used idiomatically: yes)
Stir the leek purée into the butter and cook over a moderate heat until warmed through . 3 . Stir in the cream cheese and continue to cook until thoroughly blended and piping hot . Add salt , pepper and paprika to taste . 4 .
Idiom: do the right thing (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I shall sleep easy tonight,’ Starkey said . Willie Carson will also resting easy after suggestions that he had been wrong to bring about the withdrawal of the red - hot favourite , Superoo , before the start of Ascot 's opening event on Saturday , having done a similar thing with the favourite , Red Paddy , before the Royal Hunt Cup . ‘ I was angry for a while because I was confident that the horse would win , but Willie did the right thing,’ John Sutcliffe , Superoo 's trainer , said yesterday . ‘ It 's true the horse was 100 per cent sound five minutes afterwards , but there was definitely something wrong down at the start and Willie had advice from the starter and a vet.’ Racing : For the Notebook
Idiom: within living memory (used idiomatically: yes)
We can not ignore , therefore , the possibility of our oil tax revenues running out or reducing , and it is important to find ways of becoming independent of them as soon as possible . Nor should we any longer ignore change in the changing world : We should grasp the opportunities offered now , because if action is delayed circumstances can soon turn against us , as they have so often in the past . It is surprising to recall that between the wars , and well within living memory , the entertainment capital of the world was Shanghai , known as the Las Vegas of the ‘ Thirties : The hoteliers and entrepreneurs brought a wealth- producing enterprise to the local population and foreign exchange to the country , too . It seems incredible now , but no doubt the loss of revenue when conditions changed had deep and long - lasting effects . It would be wrong morally , as well as dangerous to propound a scheme that lessens the standard of living .
Idiom: make the cut (used idiomatically: yes)
Draw pencilled guide lines along walls and ceiling , 67 mm for 100 mm girth cove , and 83 mm for 127 mm girth cove , from the angle of intersection . Areas which will be in contact with the cove members should be scratched to provide a key for the Gyproc cove adhesive , then brush away any dust and loose particles . Saw cuts should be made into the curve , as illustrated . 2 . Cutting cove
Idiom: on the ball (used idiomatically: yes)
' That 's it . I would recognise her breadcrumbs anywhere . It 's as if she made it herself , ' he said , munching happily on the fish ball . ' My mother did make it . ' ' What ? '
Idiom: spill the beans (used idiomatically: yes)
The coincidence is too much , I ca n't stop myself . I instantly regret my indiscretion and beg him to keep the news to himself . He 's visibly shocked and promises —‘on my kid 's life’— not to spill the beans . I believe him . He wo n't accept the fare .
Idiom: over the moon (used idiomatically: yes)
I exchanged my cassette player for a compact disc player , replaced my speakers with component speakers ( ie tweeter , midrange , mid bass and sub bass ) and added two amplifiers . At this time I did n't have a clue about fitting this type of equipment and had to pay somebody to do it for me . I was over the moon — although this only lasted for about a year as I paid a visit with some friends to see the 1991 ‘ Sound Off Championships’ at Wembley . It was unbelievable , there were some 200 vehicles from all over the UK fitted with top hi - fi systems . The competitors were in various categories for judging and were to be judged by professionals specially flown in from the States .
Idiom: come to grief (used idiomatically: yes)
Banned And yesterday he was banned from driving for two years and fined £ 900 . Short - sighted Mansell , 26 , came to grief on the hard shoulder of the M6 near Pontefract , West Yorks . First his Y - reg Yugo crunched into the back of a trailer behind a broken - down Austin Ambassador . Then it cannoned into the other car , flipped over on its roof — and careered back into the motorway .
Idiom: hot air (used idiomatically: yes)
FOR ANYONE with an interest in hot air balloons , David Iggulden 's book Hot Air Ballooning is an absolute must ! Crammed full of stunning photos of balloons of all shapes and sizes this book tells the story of ballooning through the ages . With chapters on the history of ballooning , record breaking flights and mad , mad , balloonists , all the intricacies of hot air balloons . From Australia comes , Gliding in Australia by Allan Ash . Written by one who is obviously in love with gliding , the author takes the reader through the history of gliding in Australia , from kites in the early 1900s to the high performance aircraft that abound today .
Idiom: set eyes on (used idiomatically: yes)
The first close - up in Straw Dogs is of Susan George 's nipples , seen through a fetching sweater , which have the male townsfolk , young and old , leering . They act as though no sexy young woman has ever trod those cobbled streets before , although the nubile daughter of the drunken town bully ( Peter Vaughan ) walks around in the mini - est of mini - skirts especially catching the eye of the long - haired village idiot ( David Warner ) , who has already molested young girls . Neither , it seems , has the population ever set eyes on an American . When the mild - mannered and bespectacled Sumner , who has a nice line in polo - neck jumpers , enters the local pub , they look upon him with suspicion , just like a stranger entering a saloon bar in a Western . He is also the only intellectual in a town full of morons , except for Major Scott ( T. P. McKenna ) and the well - meaning vicar ( Colin Welland ) .
Idiom: in light of (used idiomatically: yes)
In view of the events surrounding the Haitian boat people who attempted to enter the United States , does it make any sense for that country to continue opposing the implementation of the common action programme ? Mrs. Chalker We consistently encourage observance of the common action programme in respect of Vietnamese boat people and in the light of events in other parts of the world , such as that to which my right hon . Friend referred . We have done well in trying to ensure that we could help Vietnamese migrants — more than 20,000 of whom have returned from all over the region . The success of our work , with the full support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , leads us to believe that the American Government would do better to adopt a plan similar to our own .
Idiom: peed off (used idiomatically: yes)
D'ya know he never does this ! It 's a good job I always remember to pick it up innit ? Well , cos er tt , oh I 'm so peed off ! I 've left my I bet you were .
Idiom: on the nose (used idiomatically: yes)
Bach time we met she invited me , and each time I declined . In the end she suggested that I should just come and listen , and for politeness ' sake I agreed . There was one member whose sight was so bad that when she read she not only had to prop a second pair of spectacles on top of the pair already resting on her nose , but also had to stand under the standard lamp almost pressed against the light bulb . As I watched her reading , with such difficulty but with so much pleasure , a poem she evidently loved , something inside me said , ' Be ashamed ! ' I was ashamed ; and thenceforward I took my turn with the rest — to my benefit .
Idiom: in the red (used idiomatically: yes)
Profits have stagnated . On April 22nd Daimler announced a 5 % rise in sales to DM85.5 billion ( $ 53 billion ) in 1990 , though operating profits fell by 10 % ; the company had a 6 % rise in net earnings , to DM1.8 billion , only because of a lower tax bill . The new fields into which Mr Reuter has taken the group since the mid-1980s — aerospace , electricals and financial services — are either yielding little or are deep in the red . Analysts estimate that 90 % of the firm 's profit still comes from the sale of Mercedes cars , its original business . It is still too early to judge the strategy , say Mr Reuter 's supporters within the company .
Idiom: fall in line (used idiomatically: yes)
In Canada , we have again produced an excellent result given difficult market conditions . The Pacific has also produced an excellent performance , but conditions in Europe remain very competitive and real progress is difficult to sustain . Net investment income has shown a very satisfactory advance as interest costs continue to fall in line with reduced borrowing . Our life operations also continue to perform strongly . We are naturally disappointed that substantial catastrophe losses have come at a time when the pace of our underlying recovery is accelerating , but we are confident that the improvement in our performance is soundly based and will continue to show through as strong management action proves increasingly effective.’
Idiom: break someone's heart (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Oh?’ For some reason she felt a little disappointed for them . ‘ I know you two do n't get on now , so you wo n't break your heart about that . But you 're gon na be next if you do n't pull something out by second show Saturday yourself . I told the boss I would report to him Monday .
Idiom: set eyes on (used idiomatically: yes)
She had more than enough to cope with , but the chance of a job to bring in a few extra shillings was not to be scorned . The rector 's wife was a bit of a mystery , and Betty could n't really make her out . She seemed to have taken to the Foundling child the moment she set eyes on her , and there was no doubt in Betty 's mind that Corrie was the sole reason for her being offered the work . The girl seemed to love kids , but like the first Mrs Morey she did n't produce any . It were n't fair that one woman should fall every time her husband used her , while another never fell at all .
Idiom: child's play (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Everyone knows this place . Everyone 's been here . Everyone could cut out a beam that small , it 's child 's play.’ ‘ Who , precisely?’ Doone asked .
Idiom: walk on eggshells (used idiomatically: yes)
He 's had to learn how to deal with the public ; it does not come easily to him . " Others , more candidly , describe him as " prickly " and " highly temperamental " . His air of tetchy , meticulous perfectionism , which encourages those around him to walk on eggshells , percolates through the entire Really Useful organisation . It 's like dealing with politicians,"says one business associate . His wealth is a matter of awestruck tabloid speculation ; his parsimony a thing of show - business legend : " Andrew was almost broke when he was down to his last £ 3 million , " one friend remembers .
Idiom: from the cradle to the grave (used idiomatically: yes)
Were Crabbe insincere , we should not return , but disapproval is as genuine in his hand as indignation in Carlyle 's , and , like Carlyle , he never hesitates to turn his weapon against himself . An unusual atmosphere results : it is , so to speak , sub - XXXX Christian : there is an implication throughout of positive ideals , such as self - sacrifice and asceticism , but they are rarely pressed ; only occasionally does the narrator let himself testify . As a rule , he prefers to shake his finger at men as they move by wrong paths from the cradle to the grave , and to remind himself with a frown that he , too , is human — a frown that is almost a sigh : A worm with an immortal soul no doubt , but he never stresses this , for his muse , like his church , discouraged enthusiasm . Crabbe is not one of our great poets .
Idiom: see stars (used idiomatically: yes)
He turned the lights and the music off , and because there was no other traffic on the almost - country road at three in the morning , there was complete silence . Boy wound down the window so that he could see the stars better , and then he made the man kiss him , right there . Then they drove on , freezing , because Boy kept his window down so that he could see the stars . He tipped his seat back and zipped his jacket right up and he asked for the music to go on again , and he lay there in the dark with the music on , feeling warm in the middle of the freezing night , and he could feel himself smiling . I want to be like this , he thought .