Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: word of mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
The people of the forest Anti - leukaemia and other drugs were only discovered when scientists talked to forest tribes . That knowledge , handed down by word of mouth over generations is invaluable . Yet since 1900 , 90 entire forest tribes have been wiped out . WWF is working to collect and save this knowledge .
Idiom: behind bars (used idiomatically: yes)
You have an open face , Nick , and you smile too easily , and you 're much too honest , and you really ca n't resist helping people ; and frankly , you 're about as subtle as a Mack truck . As a villain , Nick , you just do n't measure up . ' I turned and looked at myself in the cracked Cutty Sark Whisky mirror behind Mama Sipcott 's bar . Hamlet , not Macbeth or Richard III , stared back . I turned again to Ellen , pretty freckled Ellen with her high cheekbones and clever green eyes and flaming hair and mocking smile , and I suddenly wondered whether McIllvanney had spoken to her again in the last week .
Idiom: stroke of luck (used idiomatically: yes)
Derek was always very supportive of what I was trying to do — helping me build the aviary in his back garden had made him interested in birds too — but I could n't expect him to drop everything and drive me from Tintagel to London . He had a business to run and he was up to his neck in carpets all day long ; he 's a carpet fitter , so you 'll know what I mean . Finally , on the day that I 'd promised to ring the breeder back and let him know one way or the other , a miracle happened — one of those strokes of luck that seem to come along when you least expect them to . I 'd gone across to the old folks ' home to have a chat with Maureen and , inevitably , I was telling her about the trouble I was having . Well , it happened that Maureen and Aubrey were about to set off on a round - Britain motoring holiday .
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: yes)
They had blocked the street off , rather as if an armed siege was in progress . Dad is one of the quietest , mildest men you could meet . He had been in Britain for over twenty years and never had any problem or contact with the police except for one occasion when he was with Mum on a shopping expedition and police officers approached him and said , ‘ You fit the description of a guy that has just mugged a woman down the road.’ Dad had submitted to turning out his pocket and being searched before they let him go . On another occasion he had been struck once by another man at work and we were furious at him for not returning the blow .
Idiom: ring a bell (used idiomatically: yes)
Dan , a mild - faced , baldish figure in a shapeless military surgeon 's uniform , was ringing the bell .
Idiom: on the make (used idiomatically: no)
In Switzerland the drug is used legally and openly to treat psychological disorders , especially depression . If , as many now believe , E is not dangerous , then maybe government regulation is the answer . Strict rules on the make - up of a British Standard tab would stop it being cut with more harmful drugs , and only the best form of the drug would be traded . For government regulation to be a good move there needs to be confirmation that the drug is harmless , and there is the ‘ thinend - of - the - wedge’ argument — that it will break the taboo surrounding other more noxious substances . Of course , no government with half an eye on re - election would ever legalise anything it did n't have to .
Idiom: in the nick of time (used idiomatically: yes)
A typical example of such a run originated with police information that a motor yacht named Glisseuse was picking up Asians from Nieuport in Belgium and running them into the Thames Estuary . At that time Venturous was undergoing engine repairs and some of the crew were on rest days when the call came . With repairs completed in the nick of time she sailed for the operation with a depleted crew . Vigilant was also called upon to stand by in the Thames approaches to assist as necessary . At the appointed time Venturous ' was in position near Nieuport just outside the three mile territorial limit and in due course picked up a small craft leaving the Belgian port .
Idiom: make or break (used idiomatically: yes)
A stint here can even lead to the highest office as ex - Whip Mr Major found . It is also regarded as a men 's club and its members all possess comfortable rooms . But more importantly , they can make or break political careers . Richard Ryder is friendly , tactful and warm but has a ruthless streak which has been exposed in recent days . His deputy is the former green Minister David Heathcoat - Amory — the Mr Nice compared to Mr Ryder 's Mr Nasty .
Idiom: do the trick (used idiomatically: yes)
Some ask him to pose for pictures , others kid him about retiring . He raises his fist : ' Kong [ Mike Tyson ] , I 'm comin ' after you . ' Near the end , he does a magic trick for a lady , using a fake thumb . ' Where you going , Muhammad ? ' she asks . He thinks , and then leans over to the writer and asks ' Where we going ? '
Idiom: in black and white (used idiomatically: no)
A challenge for the central NHS Management Executive , from its new home in Leeds , will be to decide how far to retain the traditional ‘ Beveridgian’ corporate spirit of the NHS , with its principles of universal access to high - quality services , and how much to allow a ‘ Darwinian’fragmentation . The course of this debate will be the key to developing managers in the 1990s . It is unlikely to be resolved in black and white terms . Therefore , managers in the early 1990s will need to be able to handle the ambiguities of competing value systems . This became a challenge for managers in the 1980s who had been recruited in the more consensual 1960s and 1970s , and it will remain a feature of the next decade .
Idiom: at the drop of a hat (used idiomatically: yes)
Is it wrong , then , to pay heed to Mr Ingham 's remarks merely because one can not say who made them ? It hardly seems sensible for a reporter doing his or her job properly to ignore a source so influential and so close to the seat of power . Mr Ingham blusters and inveighs against the perfidious press at the drop of a hat — any story using the words ‘ bunkum and balderdash’ as part of a denial are certainly based on his remarks — largely because they do not always print what he wishes to see . This suggest that , in many cases , it is not true to say that lobby correspondents slavishly follow the Downing Street line on a story . From the first day as a cub reporter , journalists are repeatedly told to ‘ get both sides of the story’ .
Idiom: bundle of joy (used idiomatically: yes)
The irony of Rex 's remark was quite wasted upon Frank , who caught the tumbling tot more by luck than judgement . ‘ There you go , then.’ He tossed the bundle of joy to Rex . ‘ Thank you.’ Rex cradled the infant .
Idiom: under the microscope (used idiomatically: yes)
Male speaker We 're cutting 1 mm thick sheet clear glass and restoring lost detail . Under a microscope or with a side light we can see where the paint 's been lost . Combined with Joyce 's records we can actually restore lost detail to important features . We're4 not treating the whole window but by doubling the pieces together of the details it gives some feel … restores some interpretation to the original work of art
Idiom: on the square (used idiomatically: yes)
In Photoshop , how do I change the color with which I am working ? In the lower left corner there is a square with the color that it is being used . Click on this square and select the color you want .
Idiom: in the short run (used idiomatically: yes)
The fact that inventories have not risen supposedly exonerates oil speculators . But the picture is far more complicated , because oil demand is extremely price insensitive . In the short run , it is technically difficult to adjust consumption . For instance , the fuel efficiency of every automobile and truck is fixed , and most travel is non - discretionary . Though higher airline ticket prices may reduce purchases , airlines reduce oil consumption only when they cancel flights .
Idiom: beat about the bush (used idiomatically: yes)
Lily asked him what was wrong ; he had a face on him . ‘ I 've just got off on the wrong foot with Harcourt . I meant to be open with him but when it came to it I beat about the bush . It had something to do with his tone . I often think he regards me as a fool .
Idiom: go Dutch (used idiomatically: no)
‘ Not only is it important to make sure that houses are secure but it is equally important to secure outhouses and garages.’ For further advice on security contact your local crime prevention officer at Antrim Road , Tennent Street , North Queen Street or Newtownabbey RUC stations . Kids go Dutch to cross the divide ! SIXTEEN Newtownabbey schoolchildren are going Dutch this week as part of a scheme to boost cross - community understanding between kids in two of the most deprived parts of the borough . Youngsters from the Bawnmore and Rathcoole estates jetted out to Holland on Monday for a 12-day stay in Almelo , near the German border .
Idiom: go from strength to strength (used idiomatically: yes)
This includes : £ 61.74 for accommodation , £ 28.23 for food ; £ 26.51 for clothing and toiletries ; £ 21.38 for travel and holidays ; and £ 22.27 for sundries . Winning streak Perhaps the England cricket team could learn a thing or two from the Institute 's own XI whose performance this season goes from strength to strength . Not content with its splendid win over the Law Society in the Robson Rhodes ' Cup ( see ACCOUNTANCY , August , p 22 ) , it trounced the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors last month by 43 runs . Star performers included Bill Holland of KPMG Peat Marwick who scored 95 of the Institute 's 250 for five wickets declared , and captain Feroze Dada of Freeman & Partners who took four wickets for 70 .
Idiom: give and take (used idiomatically: no)
Voltage across the timing capacitor C1 is a linear differential sawtooth having a constant peak voltage with frequency . The two fets make up a high input-impedance differential pair with unity gain and over 10MHz bandwidth , which maintains linearity at low charging currents and at high frequencies up to 18MHz . Summing the two fet outputs in Tr3 gives a triangular wave and a small square component , which is removed by taking some of the squares at the VCO output to the summing point . To obtain a sine output , use the two schottky diodes back to back on the summing point to round the triangle : the resulting sine is accurate to about 1% THD . Adjusting VR2 gives a symmetrical waveform and you can do it by ear by reducing the frequency so that only harmonics can be heard .
Idiom: at the crossroads (used idiomatically: yes)
WALK DIRECTIONS 1 ( a ) From car park on banks of River Wharfe cross bridge at refreshment pavilion and continue straight ahead for 70 yds on other side , avoiding riverside footpath . Turn left at crossroads then , after 300yds , turn right on path opposite five rough stone bollards . 2 Where path rejoins road , turn right on path , immediately leaving road and passing through gate on right side of cottage . Head across field to gate in wall ahead .
Idiom: my bad (used idiomatically: no)
Fran forced herself to sound cool and friendly , to betray no hint of the fear twisting her heart at the thought of what she might discover . ‘ We may as well call it a day now , though . Tell you what , I 'll buy you a cup of coffee to make up for my bad temper before.’ Luke stared levelly at her , his eyes betraying nothing as they centred on her face . ‘ That 's a sudden change of heart !
Idiom: rough and ready (used idiomatically: yes)
It 's funny how many stars seem to harbour similar buried desires perhaps it 's all that time they spend waiting on tables before they get their big break . The most recent example was Mickey Rourke 's cafe / bar , Mickey and Joey 's . Intended as a rough and ready hang - out , where Rourke and other tinseltown bikers could wear their leather and bandannas , it was actually situated in an upscale Beverly Hills mall , and was forced to close when locals complained about the noise made by those big Harleys and equally outsized Hollywood egos . Like Rourke , De Niro ran into a few problems himself with unsympathetic locals . When the rats who had taken up residence in his building were ousted .
Idiom: cry wolf (used idiomatically: yes)
His reaction to the news that Sir Bryan 's bag had been handed in had been the outcome of his sombre thoughts during the night . Sober reflection would have shown him that the sensible procedure would have been to phone the police and get them to ask the Bomb Disposal Squad to come and check the bag out . It had been his reluctance to cry ' wolf ' that had got him to where he stood now . The bag was Sir Bryan 's all right . There was no doubt about that .
Idiom: in the bag (used idiomatically: yes)
Just could n't do it . Simple as that . What 's in the bag babe ? Magazine . What magazine ?
Idiom: keep your fingers crossed (used idiomatically: yes)
and it 's been running well since I just they 'd have to . keep your fingers crossed and not Oh I do n't know I had a subjugated about that . They do .
Idiom: off the wall (used idiomatically: yes)
And he 's pulling the sink Oh no ! off the wall to do summat and just re - cement or something so I 've got ta wash my toothbrush , and tooth and wash my face in the kitchen sink . How are you getting home?in there alright ? I 'm gon na have to get Tony to come and pick us up .
Idiom: bleeding heart (used idiomatically: yes)
My one and only love , keep purring in my arms . You know you ca n't love people , Lee , because they are frightened of life and I think they are quite right and should beware of everything , especially camp comedy , the Communists , erotic fiction and you . Poor , bleeding heart , but I 'm here now , love me , why do n't you love me ? But you do n't , you see , you neglect me , and chase after the butch , the macho , and the brutal . Silly Lee , you look wonderful , you are a gem — why do you tarnish yourself by mixing with trash?’
Idiom: in bed with (used idiomatically: no)
The BBC lured young listeners with promises of explicit talk about masturbation , oral sex , and lesbian and gay experiences . Over a soundtrack of appropriate chart hits , unidentified teenagers talked about coming to terms with their own sexuality . One youth told of emerging from a drunken stupor to find himself in bed with the boy next door . A middle - aged man recalled his feelings of being ‘ the only 12-year - old queer in Great Britain’ and a girl confided a desire to snog her best friend . LIAM NEWNHAM , 13 , thought the programme was ‘ a bit silly’ .
Idiom: make someone's day (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ And all right,’ says Howard , ‘ I 'm enjoying it . I 'm having a good time walking up and down here and being astonished that anyone could be so ignorant . It 's really made my day , to discover that there 's someone in the world who still does n't know who the seven major shareholders in GEC , Westinghouse , Con Edison , NBC , and CBS are!’ ‘ All right,’ says Felicity . ‘ You 've finished enjoying my not knowing .
Idiom: jump ship (used idiomatically: yes)
The argument is nonsense because it fails to take into account the way women are treated as a matter of course . Particularly mothers of young children . They know better than anyone that all the badmouthing of men they could manage would not begin to balance the inequality they experience when it comes to the job market — fewer opportunities , low wages , nonexistent child-care facilities and a hopelessly uneven battle to survive if , for example , the father of their children jumps ship and fails to pay any maintenance . Victim Ironically , Mrs Neil Lyndon has now revealed she was abandoned by her husband last year and only managed to receive child support for their six-year-old son by obtaining a court order .
Idiom: pigs might fly (used idiomatically: yes)
' Very slight — less than the left , but it 's still there . Perhaps the artery 's just compressed . ' ' Pigs might fly , ' the paramedic muttered , and fastened the collar at last . ' Phew — let 's hope that gives enough support . ' Jack ran a stethescope over the boy 's chest and pressed his lips together .
Idiom: under the influence (used idiomatically: no)
The specks of dust consisting of heavier particles flung off by the Sun aggregate into larger lumps ( a process which can be duplicated in a laboratory ) . Then a snowballing effect takes over , with the larger lumps able to grow larger still because their own gravity would attract other particles as they sweep along in their own orbit . Constantly colliding ' supergrains ' would cohere increasingly under the redistributive influence of transferred angular momentum , aided by a gradually shrinking volume of space around the Sun . Soon an object reaches meteorite size , and then finishes up as a planet - sized object , all within a few thousand years . We have already come across our first clue as to why species become extinct , and many others will emerge as the evolutionary story unfolds ; all of the solar planets were formed by catastrophic processes .
Idiom: under fire (used idiomatically: yes)
PARAS AT WAR OVER TV SERIES ‘ ERRORS’ CO blasts Beeb for ‘ 50 boobs’ A HARD - HITTING TV drama about the Parachute Regiment came under fire last night from the commanding officer of the elite fighting force . The BBC1 blockbuster Civvies — which starts tonight — takes an uncompromising look at ex - Paras as they try to adjust to life outside the Army . But Lieutenant General Sir Michael Gray blasted the book it is based on as ‘ grossly innacurate’ .
Idiom: over your head (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ It is not only the room that matters,’ said Aunt Louise , ‘ it is the people . Mrs Girdlestone is a nice woman but she is old.’ ‘ I thought what we were worrying about was a roof over your head,’ I said , feeling that Aunt Louise needed bringing down to earth . She laughed , and showed me how one of the windows led on to a tiny balcony and a view over ancient pasture - land ; across the lane spread the branches of a great oak tree . She laughed again .
Idiom: get lost (used idiomatically: no)
for all the cost it 's not such a big place anyway . Excuse me ! I 'd of get lost in Sandy Road Mm . now .
Idiom: do the trick (used idiomatically: yes)
until you took your time . And then it was rolling over and doing all sorts were n't it ? Oh , it was doing tricks and it was so Ah ! funny !
Idiom: head south (used idiomatically: no)
TWO Alton cousins , Christian Browning and Tom Marks are on their way to Romania with a convoy of aid workers , who are to help with orphanage in Gaesti . They are part of a 50-strong bank of volunteers from Hampshire , Surrey , Kent and Yorkshire , who are driving the 2,000 miles across Eastern Europe , to the home for up to 150 children aged between three and 16 . It is the first time a party from the south have joined the team , headed by Keith Taylor , area organiser for the charity , Aid to Romanian Orphans . Twenty two-year-old Christian and Tom ( 24 ) answered an advertisement in the Alton Herald , asking for qualified plumbers and electricians to offer help to Romania . Both self-employed , and having the required skills , the two set about raising the £150 they would each need to pay for the journey as well as the tools and materials they would need .
Idiom: bear in mind (used idiomatically: yes)
A few months later the journal published an article covering similar ground . The published paper was more extensive and a much better article , but an author does not have to be paranoid to wonder what went on . Perhaps editors need to bear in mind what authors may think when this sort of thing happens and keep them better informed . What if the editor is also an author ? If there are few good journals in a specialty , editors may not be able to publish during tenure unless some mechanism can be found to allow for this eventuality .
Idiom: on board (used idiomatically: no)
That was Chappy . I do nt thin Vinny ever scored 2 in a match did he ? As it was chappy I think he was trying to stand on it … but his board control let him down and he put his foot through it ; - ) ) ) And wilko was apparently pissed off that they let chappy have the pen . He had an eye on the goal difference as Newcastle were closing the gap between us and Sheff Utd .
Idiom: come of age (used idiomatically: yes)
This should serve as a useful background for readers intending to buy relatively expensive tools . Cordless tools tend to be more expensive than their mains powered counterparts , but if looked after should last for several years , even on the original battery . The technology has certainly come of age and whereas battery powered tools can never compete in power with mains operated ones , their increasing sales have made them the fastest developing aspect of woodworking technology today . The early cordless tools were drills with heavy integrated batteries , with slow overnight ( trickle ) charging facilities ; perhaps 16 hours or so . When the batteries were spent ( after , perhaps 250 re - charges ) the entire drill had to be thrown away .
Idiom: run riot (used idiomatically: yes)
Virginia had crept up to her several times trying to be friendly , but each time the house repelled her advances , do n't you dare to come near me with those nasty creepy little fingers she smiled , preventing the new young tendrils finding a hold on her walls . Poor Virginia finally collapsed upon herself and quietly died . The flowers of the garden mourned for Virginia Creeper , with nobody to restrain them the flowers had left their beds and were running riot . You 've killed her they cried , how could you . How could people admire my form and grace , my naked splendour with that weed clinging and climbing all over me .
Idiom: on the mend (used idiomatically: yes)
McGinley rates the 11 % growth in like - for - like sales ‘ a pretty good performance in the deepest recession I 've ever seen.’ Tie Rack opened nine stores and closed four in the first half , and plans to have opened another 14 by the year - end , of which at least five will be in the UK . The 43 US and 21 Canadian stores are on the mend at last , but McGinley has his sights fixed on expansion in Europe . The group opened a store in Hong Kong this year , its first in the Far East . The shares jumped 3½p to 53½p .
Idiom: break someone's heart (used idiomatically: yes)
And then he stopped . Walking in front of him was her . The woman who as a child had skipped with him through fields and broken his heart . Sure , she had aged a little . In fact , she had aged a lot .
Idiom: under lock and key (used idiomatically: yes)
ROD CHAYTOR FRESH evidence about who carried out the Birmingham pub bombings has been uncovered , it was revealed yesterday . The breakthrough follows new tests on exhibits from the 1975 Six trial which have been carefully kept sealed and under lock and key ever since . Experts again analysed materials using equipment not available then . And their results challenge some earlier findings .
Idiom: make hay (used idiomatically: yes)
Corbett smiled . ‘ We still might , Ranulf . Let 's make hay while the sun shines.’ They finished eating and sauntered back upstairs . Corbett stopped the steward who was scurrying along a corridor , a pile of costly turkey cloths under his arm .
Idiom: into thin air (used idiomatically: yes)
2 . A focus on action . Community care plans are often bedevilled by too many people from too many organizations spending too much time in endless meetings where no decisions get taken and where ideas and enthusiasm become diluted and , eventually , dissipated into thin air . The way in which community care projects get off the ground quickly is to have a small project team of three or four people with the task of steering it through from start to finish , working under the guidance of a strong chairman . This small group needs the authority to make decisions on behalf of organizations who hold the purse - strings and therefore must be made up of individuals who are trusted and respected within their own organizations .