Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: turn a blind eye (used idiomatically: yes)
Then er even one percent of nuclear weaponry that er could be used is a danger to world congregation and I fear very much er that unless there is some kind of a proper cast iron guarantee er with the successor to the Soviet Union er there 's going to be much er trouble especially if er there is an ethnic violence er erupting on the borders and again er Boris Yeltsin has said that er , er he is going to want to control er the position on the borders , well he may not get the agreement that he seeks , er one hopes that he will , but he , he may not . I 'm absolutely delighted . I 'm , I 'm , quite amazed that , that , the question has even been asked , you know , that er that , that , er is this a good thing , I mean er presumably the people that are arguing that it 's not a good thing and that are concerned about events are actually condoning imperialism , er these people seem to think that it 's okay for a country to be occupied er like Poland was occupied by Germany and Czechoslovakia and France , that 's okay er and in fact you know we should just turn a blind eye to it and just let it carry on forever . I 'll be arguing that the end of imperialism and communism might be a wonderful thing , but that period of instability , that period of change can be very dangerous . Well of course , and er , and er Lithuania has right from the beginning er embarked on a , a sort of a campaign for independence in a most impeccably peaceful way .
Idiom: break even (used idiomatically: yes)
Before these royalties are earned , the company want to recover the cost of recording the albums plus any other financial advances they have paid to the artist . For example , a new band signing a major record deal may well spend £ 50,000 recording an album and receive another £ 50,000 in personal advances ( money to live on until royalty income is generated ) . If their royalty from album sales is equivalent to 50p per album , the band needs to sell 200,000 albums before they break even . This begins to explain why record companies require long - term agreements with artists and are looking for acts with world - wide potential . Most new artists and bands are n't in a strong bargaining position .
Idiom: walk all over (used idiomatically: yes)
to these ideas , launch another war but it 's always a just war , this time it 's always justified Mm yeah and they 've got no alternative , otherwise we 're gon na get walked all over . But it 's only , it 's only a few people that do it Oh yes it is .
Idiom: play ball (used idiomatically: yes)
But the real victor was former Liverpool and Leeds left back , Beglin , who netted £ 50,000 from an 8,000-plus turnout . NOW IT 'S THE JAMES GANG DAVID JAMES made his first full appearance in goal for Liverpool last night , in place of Bruce Grobbelaar . And after a nervous start he brought off some important saves — but this was one time he was n't so sure , playing spot the ball with Mark Wright . RUSH : Hit two £ 6 M SKY HIGH CLUB
Idiom: in business (used idiomatically: yes)
It was interested in curriculum development and course planning , research and staff training , resources and teaching methods . In some areas , teaching methods for example , the dialogue between the Council 's committee and panels and the colleges was more substantial than in others . New teaching methods were more easily discussed in business studies or applied social science than in an area like engineering with an established body of knowledge and longer traditions of teaching . The Council had by this stage resolved the issue of its degree classification , so that separate degrees with separate admission for honours and ordinary students were no longer to be offered . The Council was increasing the number of part - time courses available , and confronting questions of employment opportunities and the ability of students to meet ‘ the caprices of economic change’ .
Idiom: go hand in hand (used idiomatically: no)
Housing and the slum problem , town and country planning , population and family policy , nutrition and public health all come under detailed scrutiny . The intellectual thrust of many of these enquiries was towards a more ‘ scientific’ study of society , building upon the empirical traditions of the social enquiries of the late Victorian and Edwardian era . The use of the ‘ street survey’ and the ‘ random sample’went hand in hand with the attempt to measure deprivation through the use of ‘ poverty lines’ , standards of ‘ minimum needs’ , ‘ overcrowding’indices , and objective standards of health and adequate nutrition . Malcolm Muggeridge wryly but perceptively noted , ‘ Facts were wanted about everyone and everything — cross - sections of society , symptomatic opinions and observations , detailed investigations and statistics’ . The purpose of these studies varied widely ; many felt constrained by their academic background to make only guarded recommendations , in an area fraught with political implications .
Idiom: nine times out of ten (used idiomatically: yes)
I bet he got all upset . Well everybody knew when they 're up . daft anyway and nine times out of ten you 've got to look at him and speak to him and that because he ca n't understand and er bloke gave him the verbal . He was nearly crying was n't he . Ah !
Idiom: at a snail's pace (used idiomatically: yes)
Moreover , in a country where all supplies of food were quite inadequate , the food provided for our workers was less inadequate than that of others . In theory the task should have been simplicity itself . In practice we proceeded at absolute snail 's pace , and every step that we took was hindered by constant misunderstanding , suspicion and argument . Nothing went smoothly , even when it appeared that the most minute details had been described with no further room for misunderstanding . It was only by being constantly on the scene , as a neutral , that we seemed to me to move at all .
Idiom: beggars can't be choosers (used idiomatically: yes)
At five o'clock that Thursday evening she left her office , noticed sourly that her ‘ boyfriend 's’ Jaguar was in the car park , and drove off to view a flat that was within her means . ‘ It 's very nice,’ she complimented the pleasant person who , although not vacating immediately , was taking a teaching job up north later in the year and wanted everything organised well before then . ‘ It 's quite large for around here,’ the woman told her , and , even though it was nowhere near as large as Leith 's present flat , nor in the area that she was used to either , she was in a ‘ beggars ca n't be choosers’situation . The rent was right , if nothing else was . ‘ I 'd like to take it,’ she made up her mind on the spot , not wanting to return to her larger flat and start to have doubts .
Idiom: throw down the gauntlet (used idiomatically: yes)
As well as the cash and the cup they were treated to an executive night out at the scene of their triumphs , the Superbowl at Stoke - on - Trent 's Festival Park . The team , pictured above , are , back left to right , . Fresh from their success they have thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the Group . Anyone who fancies taking up the challenge should contact Jim McCartney at Precision Studios . Trio fly the flag in style with impressive marathon times
Idiom: keep a low profile (used idiomatically: yes)
It did the trick . Priskin was a little shocked , with bruised ears and a broken claw , but otherwise none the worse for wear . Priskin 's back to his mischievous ways , though he now knows to keep a low profile on washing day . He 's learned his lesson , but has she learnt hers ? As long as he keeps out of the washing machine , the vet says Pristine Priskin can expect a long and happy life .
Idiom: go public (used idiomatically: yes)
This being the case , the Standish Group believes that ‘ the discrete transaction option was implemented in Oracle7 solely for the purpose of running the TPC - A benchmark as efficiently as possible.’ SANTA CRUZ OPERATION UNDER FIRE FOR GOLDEN HANDSHAKE TO MICHELS On the threshold of going public , The Santa Cruz Operation Inc is now catching flak for paying co - founder Larry Michels a $ 354,000 golden handshake after he was forced to leave the Santa Cruz , California company in December because of sexual harassment charges . The San Jose Mercury News , which reported the story , citing documents filed this month with the US Securities & Exchange Commission , noted that it was unclear whether the settlement was triggered by an existing employment agreement or was offered by Santa Cruz in an attempt to get the case out of the way so the stock offering could be pursued without controversy . The paper quotes an irate lawyer , accustomed to representing women pursuing harassment claims and incensed over the double standard , as saying Santa Cruz could have fired him for misconduct , employment agreement or no , and paid him nothing .
Idiom: hold court (used idiomatically: no)
Ever since John Marshall , its first chief justice , discovered that the court had the ability to overturn legislation that did not accord with the constitution , it has been indispensable in bolstering the central tenet of American democracy : that no grant of governmental power to those who exercise it for the time being is limitless . That much is a given . But the court has not always been held in breathless reverence . At the turn of the century Mr Dooley , that sage of the Irish - American sensibility , said that ' th ' coort follows th ' iliction returns . ' And the court 's position in the constitutional structure does not mean that it has always been deeply engaged in the pressing national questions of the day .
Idiom: play into someone's hands (used idiomatically: yes)
Unless they are unlucky , it will not touch even the fringe of their lives . The contents of the Broadcasting Bill will , in the next two years , impinge only on two tiny elites : media people themselves , and the moguls who want to keep or buy a television station . As for the reform of the National Health Service , it is already well established that every hour devoted to this subject plays into Labour 's hands . This is the measure of the legislative programme . A lot of worthy efforts , from a Tory viewpoint , but creating more controversy than popular support : in a political context which may no longer fail to penalise such cavalier indifference to the priorities of the masses .
Idiom: catch a cold (used idiomatically: yes)
14B THE extent of the infill : We need to be very sure of the geographical area covered by the infill . There has been at least one occasion where we 've caught a cold because this was not done . A householder received a positive response from a salesman to a request for a gas supply , and , it was discovered that the property lay outside the scope of the project . 14C
Idiom: go without saying (used idiomatically: yes)
The plans are passed , but we still have to find the funds and the effort to do this job to the high standard of the existing museum . The message to all of us must be ‘ A good start , boys , but do n't rest on your laurels’ . It goes without saying that those of us without laurels to rest on will need to create some . The Official Opening The event started at the museum itself .
Idiom: lay down the law (used idiomatically: yes)
In her own lifetime , the owner 's formidable presence helped to keep the treasures safe . ‘ Tapestries Slashed’ , ran a dramatic headline in one paper ; in fact , the would - be vandal had scarcely taken her scissors out of her pocket before Mrs Gardner swooped on her and called the police . It is unfortunate that Mrs Gardner 's thoroughness did not extend to laying down the law about insurance . It was only after the two thieves dressed up as policemen had escaped last Sunday with treasures conservatively estimated at $ 200 m that it was revealed that they were uninsured . No clear pattern has been found in the theft .
Idiom: bear in mind (used idiomatically: yes)
Most of the tenant farmers i in this county I believe are dairy farmers and in fact they have their life savings tied up in their stock . They , they know what they have to do to protect that stock , to protect their life 's interests and they , and they know they do n't need to be told really by any officer here who are not in that not , not in that game , what they have to do that 's what they 're asking us to do and they certainly asked us to do that on the erm , on the tour of county farms that we had only , only a few weeks ago . I think it 's also worth just bearing in mind that we 're talking about only one percent of the erm of the farmed land i in this county , we 're not talking about banning hunting in in er in Leicestershire , we're talking about what we 're saying on one percent there are tens of thousand of fields in in this county nothing can change overnight , even if this er motion goes through because the tenants will still have the rights to decide , it 's only when you actually start getting to new tenancy agreements that you will be in a position if you wish , to start to change things and therefore I suppose at the end of erm , at the end of five years you might have a hundred or two hundred fields on which this ban will apply but you will still have tens of thousand of fields on which the , the hunt will still be , the hunts in this county will still be free to , erm , to operate . I think we have to try and keep this in in proportion , we are really into a we are really into a gesture here an important gesture possibly , but nothing is going to change overnight and in fact very little will happen erm , for years , for years to come . I , I , do not understand Chairman that reading this motion , I 've been trying to think about it , how on earth this is going to be monitored .
Idiom: play into someone's hands (used idiomatically: yes)
And for another … She shivered , knowing instinctively what would have resulted if she had encouraged Luke the slightest bit . And that , of course , she decided ruefully over a cup of coffee at the kitchen breakfast - bar , would have played right into his hands , seeming to justify his opinion of her . So far as he was concerned , she was fair game ; that accounted for his behaviour in her bedroom , the scene in the hired car last night . Bruges had certainly provided an opportunity for getting to know Luke better , and now Merrill could understand why Elise had fallen in love with him .
Idiom: make history (used idiomatically: no)
‘ Aljathaab is the most forward of the group . He is a very nice horse but we have not been able to test him in Dubai,’ said Conway . Last month at York , Dayflower , trained by Satish Seemar , made history by becoming the first horse trained in Dubai to win a race in Britain . Prince Khalid Abdulla , the season 's outstanding owner , is set to mount a powerful challenge on next week 's prestigious Royal Ascot meeting with a team headed by Zafonic . The brilliant 2,000 Guineas winner will aim to start the week in triumphant style for jockey Pat Eddery in the St James 's Palace Stakes next Tuesday .
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: yes)
My ‘ old’ boat was well known to the local seals , and they would allow a really close approach , but I have only had my present boat a couple of years and they are still suspicious . All except one are common seals and , as the autumn moult approaches , they show the usual variation of colours . The largest animals are quite brown in their worn coats , especially after they have dried out on the rocks , while the young born this year are still dark greyish - black . But all have the finely spotted skin and distinctive head - shape that denotes our race of Phoca vitulina . The one exception is a larger animal with a pale creamy front covered in dark blotches , a long nose and a steely grey back .
Idiom: anything goes (used idiomatically: yes)
Both prescriptive and descriptive linguisticians are sometimes parodied . Prescriptivists are seen as blind adherents to outdated norms of formal usage . Descriptivists are seen as advocating ‘ anything goes’ , and as condemning all forms of linguistic correction . We must recognise that we need both accurate descriptions of language that are related to situation , purpose and mode ( i.e. whether the language is spoken or written ) , and prescriptions that take account of context , appropriateness and the expression of meaning . Because we know that the rules keep changing slightly during the course of time , it does not follow that there should be no rules .
Idiom: free and easy (used idiomatically: yes)
Victoria and Albert Amusing gimmickry enjoyed by all who crowd the bars of this jolly mock - Victorian eating house . Free and easy atmosphere , singalong and Honky Tonk . Whigham 's Wine Cellar Attached to the famous wine merchants .
Idiom: move the goalposts (used idiomatically: yes)
Another dozen cases were nearing the final stages of SSDs ' internal complaints procedures . In one of the cases up for judicial review the SSD withdrew a home help service because of a change in eligibility criteria , despite the fact the client 's condition had not altered since his assessment . ' Moving the goalposts like this is unfair , ' Keep said . ' Once a need has been established it is unlawful remove a service even though the need has not reduced . ' One third of the cases reaching RADAR have concerned grievances about home adaptations and equipment , while another third have involved home care .
Idiom: come unstuck (used idiomatically: yes)
There has been an attack on organised trade - union resistance , on marginalised groups , on young people , especially young black people in the name of a pragmatic economic programme . Liberty has been sacrificed for convenience , the appeal to the rising crime rate as an ideological weapon against progressive teachers and liberal social workers has strengthened the Government 's hand . The only area in which this strategy is likely to come unstuck is health , where even radical supporters of Thatcherite policies have recognised that the sick can not be held responsible for their illness . Private insurance schemes clearly do not wish to become involved with either the mentally ill or the chronically sick . They can not be written off like other marginalised groups .
Idiom: larger than life (used idiomatically: yes)
In the past they imitated the Persian Moguls ; in the future it will perhaps be the Russian or Americans ; today it is the British . But the British are responsible for a double humiliation . The England of the Raj was not even genuine — it was a fantasy - self , grandiose , magnificent , larger than life . England never interacted with India ; it merely turned the country into a fairy - tale playground . In the light of this , it is not surprising that upper - class Indian mimicry of the British lifestyle — the clubs and golf courses , the social etiquette and refinement — now appear incongruous to the point of schizophrenia .
Idiom: wipe someone's eye (used idiomatically: no)
‘ I know , love,’ he said gently . ‘ Do n't cry , Mo.’ She wiped her eyes and sat up . ‘ I 'm just another worry now for my poor Chris and God knows he 's got enough . His wife hates him , I 'm sure she does .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
The 43 nations attending the week long London Dumping Convention eventually agreed to end all depositing of industrial waste at sea by 1995 . The convention is a UN body responsible for the regulation of sea dumping . At present , anything excepting specifically blacklisted substances can be dumped at sea . From 1995 , the dumping of all forms of industrial waste will be prohibited outside of territorial waters . A survey to gain a clear picture of where the dumping occurs is to be carried out by the North Sea Conference .
Idiom: join the club (used idiomatically: yes)
92 STOCKISTS Where to buy our featured clothes 97 JOIN THE CLUB Become a Priority Reader 98 ASK JEFF
Idiom: in the red (used idiomatically: no)
A second report was also launched which examines many aspects of nuclear safety including computerised protection systems , storage of nuclear waste , and nuclear emergencies . Thermal imager wins award A new type of thermal imager camera working in the far infra - red has won this year 's Prince of Wales Award for Innovation , which is organised by Business in the Community . The imager camera has been developed by GEC Marconi and the Defence Research Agency . Significantly , the camera does not require costly special cooling yet it achieves thermal resolutions comparable with current , cooled images .
Idiom: go under the hammer (used idiomatically: yes)
WITH bulging eyes and pounding heart , the young speed - lover gazes admiringly at the object of his desire . The sleek Ferrari Testarossa is every driver 's dream — and hopeful five - year - old David Bartlett , being shown around by auctioneer John Young , thinks this one is just his size . The model super car , going under the hammer next Monday , would be the perfect stocking filler for any youngster whose dad has £ 3,000 to £ 5,000 spare . Powered by a four - stroke engine , running on unleaded petrol , the junior - sized version does n't quite match the performance of its 180 mph big brother . But owner John Panteli , 17 , from Croydon , South London , loves it just as much .
Idiom: live and learn (used idiomatically: yes)
Still You learn do n't you ? Live and learn Yeah , I cooked a lasagne this morning , I thought well Yeah
Idiom: get wind of (used idiomatically: yes)
But my God ! When I think what that lass must have gone through before doin' that , I could spew.’ And then he added , ‘ I was talking to one of Big Joe 's bouncers and it was his opinion that she got wind of what was to happen , before they had time to give her a dose , likely . He seemed pleased that Slim had disappeared from the district 'cos Big Joe was never for tradin ' in bairns . Huh!’
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: no)
It seemed quite a tall order at the time but in practice it worked out well and proved to be a most enjoyable experience as well as one of our more memorable tours of duty . There were , of course , adequate Customs shore controls at ports visited , but we were mainly concerned with the more remote areas and anchorages which tended to be used more and more by the various types of oil exploration craft and drilling rigs when sheltering inside our territorial waters . Venturous slipped out of Hull sea locks quietly on 2nd April 1974 , destination all points north including oil supply bases in the Orkney and the Humber was blanketed in a dense yellow fog as we picked our way carefully seaward through treacherous tides and sandbanks of the estuary , thankful for our trusty radar . The fog stayed with us throughout the night as we made painfully slow progress towards Hartlepool with bedtime stories on the radio of ships colliding and running aground to cheer us on our way . After Hartlepool we crossed the border , calling at Leith , Dundee , Montrose , Aberdeen , Peterhead and Invergordon .
Idiom: in the red (used idiomatically: no)
Beneath the filmy topcoat he wore a black shirt and black trousers that were tucked into tall black boots . It was a dramatic and impractical outfit of a kind I only expected to see on the male models who posed in the more outlandish fashion magazines that our rich clients brought aboard Wavebreaker , yet Jesse Isambard Sweetman managed to wear the elaborate style with an elegant insouciance . The only incongruous note was a cheap round badge , enamelled in red and yellow , that he wore on his shirt , which bore the legend ' Just Say No ! ' . ' You must be Nicholas Breakspear , ' he said carelessly , as though he did not much care whether I was or not . ' Is that gaudy piece of junk your boat ? '
Idiom: hand to mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
The achievable tasks could be much better done if several handicaps were eased . Three of these are internal , involving the working of the UN machine . The first is that peacekeeping is hand - to - mouth . The UN must beg field radios , lorries and money for each operation . It gets by because its officials are skilled improvisers .