Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: cost the earth (used idiomatically: no)
If that gap is n't narrowed , we could well see a backlash as business doing their bit for the environment lose heart at the apparent lack of consumer interest . Earlier this year , John Elkington and Julia Hailes , authors of the highly successful Green Consumer Guides , brought out a new guide for holidaymakers . Holidays That Do n't Cost the Earth ( Gollancz , £ 5.99 ) is a lively , informative read : as good a way as any of getting to grips with environment - friendly holidays . Sales , however , have been disappointing , and there 's been nothing like the same kind of interest the earlier books had . What this means is that far fewer people are putting pressure on their travel agents or package - tour operators than Elkington and Hailes were hoping for .
Idiom: make history (used idiomatically: yes)
By ' the abolition of the subject ' Althusser means the abolition of the intentional subject whose desires , motives , and beliefs are cited as the explanation of social events and states of affairs . And since persons are the primary locus of intentional properties , his main target is the traditional conception of individual agents , so central to individualism , which was discussed in Chapter III . Rather than being regarded as actors who make their own history , individuals are to be seen as the ' supports ' of social practices who maintain and reproduce them . As Althusser puts it : This is not to deny , of course , that individuals are causal subjects ; they fill various social roles , engage in the work of production , and thereby bring about changes in the social world .
Idiom: get on someone's nerves (used idiomatically: yes)
I did n't like to see him like this so when the second man had gone I turned to Dad . ' You can sell the harmonium , Dad , if it 'll ' elp . I ca n't play it properly anyway and I know the sound of it gets on Mum 's nerves . ' He looked at me with a gentle , sad expression on his face . ' Do you really want me to sell it ? ' he asked .
Idiom: on a roll (used idiomatically: yes)
Twelve schools submitted satisfactory proposals and each was given £ 400 to help carry out its project . They were free to raise funds elsewhere if they could , and one at least got a substantial sum from a local authority which would not have supported a project of that nature if it had not come to them from their own school children . The largest school taking part in the scheme — Inverness High School — had 1,432 pupils on the secondary roll The smallest — Happyhansel in Shetland — had 15 . Among the projects carried out were the creation of two folk museums , the laying out of public parks and gardens ; a nature trail ; a children 's playground ; the restoration of an old ' Norse ' mill , and the laying down of a car park for a small craft shop . The Scottish Civic Trust awarded each of the participants a commemorative plaque because of the quality of their work , and the British Tourist Authority made an award for the over - all scheme .
Idiom: in the red (used idiomatically: yes)
There are no longer any problems in business life , there are only challenges . And challenges are opportunities . So it is no problem at ~ all if the company is in the red , it 's just another opportunity !
Idiom: get a grip (used idiomatically: yes)
The lion fell in a heap , and she got a steel knee on top of it . Leaning down , she took its head between her pincers and squeezed . Meanwhile , she got a grip on it with her mind , and concentrated . Chalk . It was chalk .
Idiom: kicking and screaming (used idiomatically: yes)
AFTER a dismal start to the new Stratford season with Bill Alexander 's glum staging of The Taming of the Shrew , it is good to report that the RSC has quickly recovered its form with a splendidly enjoyable production of The Beggar 's Opera . Despite the fame of John Gay 's ballad opera , which broke all box - office records when it opened in 1728 , it is performed surprisingly rarely these days . I still shudder at the memory of the only previous production I 've seen , which attempted to drag this 18th - century masterpiece kicking and screaming into the 20th century with the help of rap and reggae music and rewritten dialogue that sounded like a rejected Minder script . John Caird makes no such mistake at the Swan Theatre . This is an ensemble show in the RSC 's great tradition of Nicholas Nickleby and Les Miserables ( Caird was co - director of both with Trevor Nunn ) and it could well repeat their success at the box office .
Idiom: hit the jackpot (used idiomatically: yes)
Kevin Campbell — brilliant hat - trick Mike Sheron ( second right ) finds a way through a crowded QPR goalmouth to score Manchester City 's second goal in their 3–0 win at Maine Road yesterday Battling Brand hits the jackpot trail GORDON Brand Jnr stayed on course for a £ 100,000 jackpot with a third round 71 in the GA European Open at East Sussex National . Without a victory for over four years and bitterly disappointed to miss out on this month 's Ryder Cup , Brand Jnr held a four - stroke lead over Swedish rookie Olle Karlsson , with struggling Welshman Phillip Price a shot further back .
Idiom: cost the earth (used idiomatically: yes)
For the truth was , no matter how hard I found to suppress it , I was becoming impatient with Jim . Why did n't he ever buy me anything ? Nothing grand — I did n't want the type of gifts that Neil bought Jessica , but some flowers or a box of chocolates would n't cost the earth . I knew I was being unreasonable , but I began to feel that my marriage lacked something , a fundamental excitement . I religiously told Jim about each of Neil 's presents , desperately hoping to provoke some sort of response .
Idiom: no man's land (used idiomatically: no)
on a coloured - in mat , so why could n't you ? Sometimes your questions were stray snipes over no - man 's - land , bringing sharp hands and the order you had to obey . Sit —
Idiom: writ large (used idiomatically: yes)
Much of the book then proceeds to detail the new forms of economic power , from the Yakuza to the electronic networks which undermine the power both of the state and the banks . But economic power no longer resides in the material world . The crude belief that a service economy is nothing more than McDonald 's writ large is correctly dismantled . Manufacturing remains a significant force , but with an ever - decreasing share of the workforce . The old idea that manufacture is macho , hardheaded , practical , realistic , while production of knowledge is effeminate , is shown to be disabling .
Idiom: serve someone right (used idiomatically: yes)
Yes . the right place . It serves her right really . But not , I mean And then er
Idiom: slow burn (used idiomatically: yes)
Speaking of carrots , there is another important role the caddie performs nowadays , that of dietician . Providing the right foods to the player on the course can be almost as important as giving the correct playing advice . Most caddies today have a basic idea of what is good for their player during a round to provide slow - burning energy . Gone are the days of slipping the boss a bar of chocolate at a break ; now it 's a banana or an apple to supply the energy and get rid of hunger pains , or , as Ian Wright administers to Seve Ballesteros , a muesli bar . A good caddie also has to be something of a psychologist , knowing when to cajole his player into making a better effort ; calming him down when he 's just three - putted or blazed a drive into the rough ; or steadying him up from being over - confident or over - zealous when the adrenalin is flowing after a couple of good holes .
Idiom: in the bag (used idiomatically: yes)
like you get caught out What come 's after two ? once you 've put it in your bag you ca n't put it back Three Three you know it
Idiom: lend a hand (used idiomatically: yes)
A project designed to keep bored youngsters from resorting to car crime by giving them motorbikes to play with has been receiving some expert advice . The scheme involves trial riding over a series of obstacles . Britain 's champion in the sport has been lending a helping hand . Ken Goodwin reports . CINDERFORD / Gloucestershire
Idiom: up in the air (used idiomatically: yes)
They do n't want to be massive . This is the testing time , and Bono and myself are getting worked up talking about it . ‘ We 're up in the air at the moment,’ Bono concludes a line of conversation where we 're wondering about the direction and attitude of new music ( But can you trust it ? ) especially those current wagon hoppers such as Killing Joke ( J'accuse ! ) . ‘ We 're still discovering , growing … One of the reasons we chose the name U2 was to have that ambiguity which I think is necessary , so that it 's not so easy for people to make premature assumptions or wrong associations .
Idiom: play with fire (used idiomatically: yes)
That Captain 's a mighty unscrupulous man . I 've been hearing rumours about his methods of taming his crew … things to make your hair stand on end . I 've said all along we were playing with fire.’ He was becoming more and more agitated . ‘ You 're as spineless as an up - turned jellyfish , Bob Crayshaw!’
Idiom: make a move (used idiomatically: yes)
If it had a self , perhaps this was its face : split by wounds and doubt ; pitiful ; lost . She saw its mouth open and close as if it was attempting to address her . Then Marlin made a move to pursue it , and it ran . How , after such an accident , its limbs managed any speed at all was a miracle , but it was off at a pace that Marlin could n't hope to match . He made a show of pursuit , but gave up at the first intersection , returning to Jude breathless .
Idiom: clean house (used idiomatically: yes)
Albert gazed at her mutely . His eyes were slightly glazed , but there was a certain softening around his drooping mouth . ' You 'd have a clean warm house to live in , ' went on his temptress , ' and a good hot meal midday , and all your washin ' — done . ' Albert 's eyes brightened a little , but he still said nothing . Nelly put her head provocatively on one side .
Idiom: up to scratch (used idiomatically: yes)
The Guinness Rugby Union Fact Book ( Guinness Publishing , £12.99 ) is a comprehensive volume of facts , records , results and statistics . This really is a must for any rugby fan . Comedian Tom O'Connor plays off a handicap of 10 but his Christmas offering From The Wood to the Tees ( Robson , £10.95 ) comes up to scratch . It is full of amusing anecdotes and also contains useful tips from pro-am partners such as Lee Trevino , Sandy Lyle and Jose Maria Olazabal . By far the best coffee table book is Golf Courses of the PGA European Tour ( Aurum , £25.00 ) .
Idiom: as the crow flies (used idiomatically: no)
I snuffed Armstrong 's engine and dug out the OS map I 'd bought . I opened it out knowing straight off that I 'd never get it re - folded properly , and found Blackberry Hill . The track I was parked on was a back way into the village of Broughton Street and , as the crow flew , a quicker way than coming around by Blackberry Hill . Broughton Street was a collection of grey boxes on the map with nothing to distinguish it from loads of other small Kentish villages . Near the village end of the track a ‘ Fisher 's Farm’ was marked and behind it , a green rectangle with the legend ‘ Fisher 's Wood’ .
Idiom: down and out (used idiomatically: yes)
It exploded in mid - air , and the two riders somersaulted to the sand . Haggett got in there with his bayonet , and speared the two as if they were straw figures . ' Down and out , ' Haggett shouted . That had lost them precious moments . ' Come on , team , ' Rodriguez ordered , ' let 's move it .
Idiom: in the pipeline (used idiomatically: yes)
Further details are provided in the National Certificate Modules : catalogue of module descriptors ( 1993/4 ) , published this month . Recognition for module groupings A number of employers have already given their seal of approval to a range of SCOTVEC module groupings , and more recognitions are in the pipeline . Over the years , a number of groupings of National Certificate Modules have gained recognition as alternatives to SCE awards for candidates seeking employment or admission to further and higher education . In July 1992 , SCOTVEC published its first comprehensive listing of these recognised groupings .
Idiom: larger than life (used idiomatically: yes)
From there Laughton progressed to two more familiar roles , Poirot and Pickwick , before scoring another big success as the Chicago gangster loosely modelled on Al Capone in On the Spot ( 1930 ) by Edgar Wallace [ q.v . ] . He then made his New York début in 1931 as the squalid murderer in Payment Deferred , before accepting a Hollywood offer which took him to California for The Old Dark House ( 1932 ) and his first Nero in The Sign of the Cross ( 1932 ) . It was back in England for ( Sir ) Alexander Korda [ q.v.]in 1933 that Laughton made his screen name in The Private Life of Henry VIII at the start of a sequence of major cinema biographies ( The Barretts of Wimpole Street ( 1934),Mutiny on the Bounty ( 1935),Rembrandt ( 1936 ) , and the unfinished I Claudius ( 1936 ) ) , which were to see him at the very peak of his reflective , anguished talent for larger - than - life monsters of reality . In 1933 he joined the Old Vic Company for an impressive range of stage work ( Henry VIII again , The Cherry Orchard , Macbeth , Measure for Measure , The Tempest ) and in 1936 he was the first English actor ever to be invited to appear at the Comédie Française in Paris , where he played Molière 's Le Médecin Malgré Lui . He then settled in California , where despite occasional returns to the theatre ( notably in the first production of Bertolt Brecht 's The Life of Galileo in 1947 , which he also adapted ) he focused mainly on such films as Jamaica Inn ( 1939),The Hunchback of Notre Dame ( 1939),Witness for the Prosecution ( 1957),Spartacus ( 1960 ) , and Advise and Consent ( 1962 ) , returning only rarely to Britain and only notably for David Lean 's Hobson 's Choice in 1954 .
Idiom: hit a nerve (used idiomatically: yes)
I returned it , she slammed it back , I caught it neatly , spun round and delivered a deft backward glance over my left shoulder . Back in the waiting room it had gotten twice as crowded . Obviously there was a future in this business , they 'd hit a nerve somewhere . Then I saw him . Shoulder - length blond hair , embroidered cheese - cloth shirt , single strand of beads — I mean , beads but tasteful — a sensual hint of hash and patchouli , and midnight blue denims stretched taut then flaring over the longest , leanest bass - guitarist 's thighs in Glasgow .
Idiom: pass the buck (used idiomatically: yes)
Where the powers - that - be were probably right was that the show needed more contrast . More Radio 2 , if you like , and less Radio 4 . Everyone was passing the buck — no one would actually express to John what their feelings were . It was not a nice time . Various suggestions were made for new accompanists , and a couple of meetings were set up .
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: yes)
He looked a tough and burly man , and Joe thought he was vaguely familiar . It made him think about last night 's events . No , he was imagining things , he had n't seen the man all that clearly in the fog . ' What 's up ? ' asked Dolly . ' Take a look , ' said Joe , and handed her the paper .
Idiom: seal of approval (used idiomatically: no)
ANIMAL LIFE If you enjoy seeing birds in your garden , start feeding them now . Buy packets of seed which have the Bird Food Standards Association seal of approval , or put out scraps of cheese , meat , stale cake or bacon rinds . However , do n't feed your feathered friends very dry bread , desiccated coconut or salty food . Also make sure there is a supply of unfrozen water for them to drink .
Idiom: behind bars (used idiomatically: yes)
' You know perfectly well we put them in the curry . ' ' Buryin ' 'em at sea , ' Walter persists , and he lifts the boathook and starts to stir around in the darkness beyond the terrace 's supporting pillars . The boathook is usually kept on the wall behind the bar . It 's a relic from the building 's yacht pavilion days , and was originally used for hauling drunks out of the water . Now it catches on something , and Walter 's round face tightens with the effort of pulling it free .
Idiom: on the button (used idiomatically: no)
Have to press " on " button multiple times to turn on my laptop . It sounds like the button itself is worn out .
Idiom: at the crossroads (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ You 'll get it.’ Sharpe hoped he spoke the truth . Lieutenant Simon Doggett waited at the crossroads and frowned when he saw the blood on Sharpe 's arm . ‘ Are you hurt , sir?’ ‘ That 's someone else 's blood.’
Idiom: to boot (used idiomatically: yes)
Sad.’ ‘ Why sad?’ ‘ Well , excuse me , Mrs Sutherland , but a kid with no ma , no pa but they 're both alive , living near by and rich to boot , while some matron , fine though she may be , is paid to take care of him and he works vacations ? I 'm not saying it 's unusual but it 's sad and tough too.’ ‘ His mother 's rich , now?’
Idiom: make a killing (used idiomatically: yes)
And nothing appeals to an experienced hunter more than a wounded or somehow disabled prey . If the parent bird can appear to be at some grave physical disadvantage , the killer will find the tempting proximity of the vulnerable adult irresistible and its concentration on the location of the nest - site can be broken . Once it has been led farther and farther away from the nest by the parent bird , it will have difficulty in rediscovering the position of the nest and will , in all probability , set off to search elsewhere if it fails to make a killing . A successful distraction display therefore requires five stages . First , the bird must sit tight on the nest until the last moment .
Idiom: keep a straight face (used idiomatically: yes)
To her , they are simply rooms , and her dead mother chose her name . As to Sister Matthew John — " Benedicta was trying hard to keep a straight face . She had more than once been guilty of the unkind opinion that the gaunt , ageing nun had a somewhat masculine cast of countenance . She had confessed her sin and done her penance , but then she would encounter Sister Matthew John again and the same unworthy thought would pop back into her head once more .
Idiom: in the saddle (used idiomatically: yes)
Now well let 's have a look at this horse and another schedule because as I say he was trained in Ireland by Arthur and er we saw them at Punchestown back in April where he finished second to another of his rivals today Bishops Hall . As they come to the final fence Second Schedule being pressed by Ebony Jane and Bishops Hall on the nearside and over the last Second Schedule and Bishops Hall on the nearside , Ebony Jane in third , in fourth place is Joe White and racing into the closing stages it 's Second Schedule with Bishops Hall on the nearside Graham Bradley again as they go to the line , Bishops Hall wins it for Harry , Second Schedule is second , Joe White is third , Ebony Jane four . Bishops Hall doing it nicely under Brad and it 's good to see him in the saddle today because he was offered the ride on Morley Street but he 'd already said yes and he 's a man of his word and he agreed to ride this horse . And there 's been a lot of hoo - ha in the Press about should be ride Morley Street or should n't he . Once you say yes you got ta stick to your word and Morley Street , good horse , but has a lot of weight today .
Idiom: go all the way (used idiomatically: yes)
How , picking up on the terms you use Professor Lock , how would the policy guarantee that what this elephant was special ? I anticipate that because that 's becoming now a key question . And and what I 've got in front of me , David Lock , what I 've got in front of me is is erm , and I know David 's got it David Allenby 's got it as well , is the er paper from Harrogate 's Economic Development Officer to his Economic Development Sub - Committee , and it 's gone all the way through the process now and through the main council , where he has to answer that very question and I could n't put it better . What he says here it says , There are an investment project , Miss Whittaker , whose size , composition , economic significance and locational requirements make it impossible to locate on an ordinary site , so that 's one one issue , and then he says , Of regional significance or more often national or international significance . And this is how you clear that one up .
Idiom: do the trick (used idiomatically: yes)
Cleaning a floppy disk drive should be part of a regular maintenance procedure . Perhaps as often as once a month , depending partly on the amount of dust in the air , you should get out the drive cleaning kit and service the heads in the way I 've described before trouble starts . A simple DIR command , applied three or four times , will normally do the trick . But better still , I find , is to use the public domain utility program Clean2.com which activates the disk drive for the required thirty seconds or so , and also sweeps the heads across the disk to make use of the whole surface of the cleaning fabric . DIR will not do this , of course , it will just hover the heads over the position where the directory area would normally be found .
Idiom: dog in the manger (used idiomatically: yes)
She gave a disbelieving sniff . ' Pigs might fly . And I fail to see why someone with such an inventive , lively mind as yours can be so dog - in - the - manger about updating things in the office . It does n't make sense . Rebecca 's life could be made ten times easier with the programs I can work out for her . '
Idiom: keep tabs on (used idiomatically: yes)
He said : ‘ I signed a three - year contract at the club and I want to see the job through.’ ‘ I 'm very happy and I have always had a good relationship with the board.’ ‘ It 's obviously their job to keep tabs on the financial situation and my job to provide enetertaining football on the pitch and win promotion . ‘ I like to think I 've achieved the former , but I ca n't get promotion in five months.’ Shilton has spent nearly £ 1 million on new players since arriving in March and the club need gates of 10,000 to break even .
Idiom: sour grapes (used idiomatically: yes)
Yet Mario Monti , the rector of Milan 's Bocconi University and a respected economist , has raised doubts about Mr Fazio 's ability to safeguard the Bank 's independence as successfully as his predecessor . In an article in Corriere della Sera , an Italian newspaper , Mr Monti praised Mr Fazio 's personal qualities , but pointed out that in 1984 Mr Fazio believed the central bank would be wrong to resist government pressure to finance its deficit . The article by Mr Monti , who had been touted as a possible external candidate for the governorship , may simply be a case of sour grapes . Central - bank insiders point out that Mr Fazio 's views have changed considerably since 1984 , and that safeguards against political meddling with the Bank have been considerably strengthened . If it becomes law , a bill now before Italy 's parliament will in any case forbid the Treasury from making the Bank of Italy print money for its debts .
Idiom: under the influence (used idiomatically: no)
Joyce was committed to providing for the two daughters of his first marriage , to whom he was a conscientious father , as well as supporting his second wife . Margaret had had a paid job with the BUF in the last few months of her membership but with Joyce 's departure from the movement she had lost that as well . Now Joyce proposed to exclude from his tuition those pupils whose racial origin offended him and to take very little care about concealing his admiration of Hitler and his total commitment to National Socialism from those who came under his influence . It was hard to see what future there could be for the embittered and ranting Nazi or his new and pretty wife , other than a steady descent into the poverty of hired rooms and unpaid bills . There was nothing to raise him from this unless world events should create the opportunity for him .