Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: stroke of luck (used idiomatically: yes)
In a short campaigning season curtailed by either seasonal or financial considerations , or by both , the advantage did not lie with the attacker who , if he began a siege , risked being caught between the place he was seeking to capture and ( a constant fear ) a force coming to relieve the besieged . Further , he would also require some very heavy and unwieldy equipment , including siege engines ; even these might not bring the desired success . It might require a stroke of luck , such as a shortage of provisions or water among the besieged , or an act of treason , to deliver the well - defended place into enemy hands . In hostile territory a siege was not lightly undertaken ; if certain reasonable precautions had been taken , those who sought refuge inside a town or castle could reasonably hope to survive , in particular if their refuge were a town which , with its generally greater size and more generous ameneties which favoured the defender , presented a besieger with a greater challenge than did even the best defended castle . In France the escalation of war in the 1340s ( after some four generations of relative peace ) led to a number of significant developments .
Idiom: for the time being (used idiomatically: yes)
I 've heard nothing more from him , neither have I asked him yet , if he 's come up with anything . Er that 's neglect on my part , erm but unless anybody 's spoken to Chris , and Anne 's not here . Erm we 'll leave it at that for the time being . The whole issue of the preparation of worship , that 's under b b b b E on page two last time . Er the stewards have started to discuss the ideas and have yet to come forward some suggestions .
Idiom: lie low (used idiomatically: yes)
Gaily opened his eyes . You could never expect things to last , after all , could not plan more than a few days ahead . A goldfish lay low in the water , coloured like a slice of tinned peach . ' I see , ' Gaily said . He would have liked to say I 'd rather you stayed , except that he had no real reason , or no reason he could give her easily .
Idiom: from scratch (used idiomatically: yes)
Also in this bay at the eastern end and alongside the machine row was the ‘ truck and barrow’ gang . This gang 's work consisted of the manufacture and repair of all the different types of manually propelled vehicles , ie : platform trucks , various types of barrows , coffin carriers , invalid chairs , trucks for lame pigs , tricycle carriers , hand carts of all types , ambulance litters etc . It was on this gang that the Road Vehicle body - maker apprentices began their training and , as all ex - apprentices will remember , for the assembly of a new wheel barrow from scratch , the piecework price was four - pence halfpenny ( 1 . ¾ N.P. approx ) . Along the western wall from the end of the office to the northern wall , was the Blacksmith 's Department , comprising some five forges , two double and three single , a steam hammer , a set of rolls for tyre making and shears .
Idiom: look the other way (used idiomatically: no)
Sandaway is just a jumble of rocks with a sprinkling of sand but a real sun trap and haven of peace and quiet . A short scramble over the rocks takes you to our secret spot , Mermaid 's cove , this is truly a place of magic and tranquillity ideal for that really quiet swim or sunbathe . Should you glimpse topless mermaids … just look the other way . After a leisurely day on the beach why not relax with a cool drink in our Smugglers bar whilst taking in the superb sea and Exmoor views . There is good bar food , entertainments and dancing .
Idiom: in the dock (used idiomatically: yes)
He used to work You mean the cabinet ? He used to work in the dock 's offices . Yeah . As a clerk .
Idiom: hot air (used idiomatically: no)
We spend 90 per cent of our design meetings drinking coffee , gossiping and giggling . The remaining 10 per cent , I sit back and let John manipulate me . ‘ You 're never a problem , Mart , you always know exactly what you want … ’ and continues blowing hot air up my kilt until I end up with exactly what he wants . He 's always right , of course , and I would n't dream of cluttering his designs with jewellery etc . without his approval . The woman who makes my gowns wishes to remain anonymous , so I 'll refer to her as ‘ M’ .
Idiom: take a bow (used idiomatically: yes)
I would have tried to ask Dudley Wood , secretary to the RFU , but he did n't show up at the new kit 's launch … Having fun during their modelling assignment at Twickenham as the new strip is unveiled are ( l – r ) Dewi Morris , David Pears ( in the alternative strip ) , and Jason Leonard . Bishop — take a bow ! KIWI referee David Bishop has had an exciting year , what with being ‘ congratulated’ in the Parc des Princes tunnel by Daniel Dubroca and then being asked whether he minded being wired for sound to the whole stadium for the Springbok - Wallaby clash at Newlands . Bishop , never one to duck a challenge , agreed to cooperate in a South African - led venture which enables anybody with the cash to buy or hire a small walkman - like receiver to tune into the ref during the match .
Idiom: rhyme or reason (used idiomatically: yes)
Had she really screamed like that ? The sun trickled around the blinds in Kate 's bedroom , falling in narrow shafts over the poppies on the wallpaper and on the orange - painted dressing - table It was warm in the room when she awoke and for some seconds she was aware of pleasurable anticipation , before the revelations of the day before came flooding in on her . Higgledy - piggledy they came , without rhyme or reason . Unwillingly she marshalled them into order , beginning with the moment when she and Stephen had stepped out of the French windows , apprehensive because Timothy Gedge was in the garden . Stephen had been friends with her then .
Idiom: get under someone's skin (used idiomatically: yes)
She returned to the bar and was soon the centre of attention . But , for all her new - found success , she regretted not being with the Englishman . He had got under her skin , and after half an hour she went home alone , not content with second - best . By the time she left the hotel Duncan was in bed , the light and television both switched off . He was annoyed with Myeloski .
Idiom: call it quits (used idiomatically: yes)
Consumers worried by credit - card debt and authors of economic blockbusters predicting the collapse of the American financial system will take heart from something that appears in Grant 's Interest Rate Observer , one of the most highly - regarded investment publications in the States . Although reported second - hand , it is said that one chap who 's $ 5,000 in the red and 90 days behind with payments got a call from the card company . He was given four options : default and risk losing his good name ; pay everything immediately ; make six monthly payments of $ 400 and they 'd call it quits ; send in $ 70 and they 'd get back to him later . A phone call confirmed that the company would indeed , under option three , settle the account for half the debt . ‘ He said that he detected an implied suggestion that he might obtain another credit card from a different company and use it to pay off his card.’
Idiom: down the tubes (used idiomatically: yes)
It would just escape so we sh close the top and the gas has got to . Down the tube and into Yeah down the other tube and into the what 's the thingumajiggy ? What do you call it that tall cylinder thing ? Thingumajiggy ?
Idiom: green light (used idiomatically: yes)
New Street . Mold Green light for by - pass WORK is to start this month on the £ 14.5 m Widnes Eastern by - pass . The 3.2-mile dual carriageway will take heavy traffic away from Birchfield Road and Kingsway , ending a 20year campaign by residents fed up with noise and fumes from as many as 50,000 lorries and cars which use the road each day .
Idiom: dead as a dodo (used idiomatically: yes)
In the researchers ' view , if the character was to have any kind of success she should reflect a more contemporary lifestyle . She should be a tracksuit granny who jogged and did aerobics and presumably finished up having two ribs extracted to make her waist look smaller . The campaign was as dead as a dodo . Except that I have a daughter who does n't believe in the extinction of the dodo . She claims there are two left .
Idiom: close to home (used idiomatically: no)
The following week saw Mike and Anne at their first dog training lesson . In March of this year they entered their first dog show at Ardingly and Tammy [ the brown one]did quite well , and Mike and Anne were hooked . Since March the dogs have competed in a mixture of open and championship shows as far afield as Leeds , Doncaster and Stafford and the occasional show close to home . Mike and Anne are having a ball and the dogs are obviously enjoying themselves , especially Angie [ the older white poodle]who is a natural show off but Tammy still keeps beating her . At championship shows there may well be over 10,000 entries over 4 days with up to 25,000 at Crufts .
Idiom: live in sin (used idiomatically: yes)
This pagan kingly behaviour ( more reminiscent of ancient kingship rights than orthodox Christian behaviour ) gave rise to criticism from the Church , but no one dared openly to accuse or chastise such a powerful ruler . The relaxed morality of Charles himself extended to some , but not all , members of his large family . Two of his daughters lived ' in sin ' without any comment from their father , but as soon as Louis the Pious inherited the crown , he banished these sisters to appease the Church and his own sensitive conscience . Yet Charles was a mighty protector and sponsor of the Church , giving generously , building extensively , and installing clergy , churches and monasteries in his conquered territories . Little wonder that the savage Saxons regarded Christianity as a Frankish method of suppression and control rather than a true religion in its own right .
Idiom: catch fire (used idiomatically: yes)
Even tiny babies might roll off . 5 ) Position heaters carefully so that nothing can overheat and catch fire . The bathroom 1 )
Idiom: pick up the tab (used idiomatically: yes)
When the informants ran out , I kept on the man 's trail by following the empties . I always keep a bottle in my desk drawer , but this character was putting it away on an industrial scale . With Lissa 's money I picked up his tabs . Bartenders , hoteliers and B - girls kept asking me if I was Tunney 's brother . The resemblance , they said , was amazing .
Idiom: over the counter (used idiomatically: yes)
Normality is rare in the ‘ civilised’ Western world with regard to all aspects of health . However it can be achieved and is well worth pursuing . The remedies in the 200 M and 10 M potencies will not be available over the counter except in specialist pharmacies . Suitable sources will be found in the section Remedies and Pharmacies . Early labour
Idiom: pull the wool over someone's eyes (used idiomatically: yes)
From time to time‘pollutions’ with serious consequences occur which remain in effect undetected while laboratory analysis is directed towards testing for the presence of other substances . One such pollution which defied attempts at on the spot diagnosis and , for a time , laboratory analysis as well was described by a supervising officer : ‘ I can think of one firm that I think had tried to pull the wool over our eyes for many years . This particular firm had been causing fish mortalities in the stream — about half a dozen fish mortalities in the sixties . [ Field staff]had been going along taking samples which had looked completely clear and satisfactory .
Idiom: come a cropper (used idiomatically: yes)
League leaders Sunderland were held to a 1–1 draw at Whitehaven , who took the lead in the first half through Frank Hatton . Steve Maxwell was on hand for the Wearsiders to equalise before halftime . South Shields and Redcar drew 1–1 , while in the Premier League , Norton came a cropper at Ramgarhians , losing 4–2 to goals from F Mathuru , Pefull and H Mathuru ( 2 ) . Scorers for Norton were Robson and Finney . Darlington Ladies beat Durham University Ladies 2–0 with two excellent goals by Shirley McConnell and Melanie Dobson .
Idiom: around the clock (used idiomatically: yes)
sky sports … the top sport events live ! The best in British and overseas sporting events , many exclusive to Sky , such as live English International and Scottish league football , Sunday afternoon cricket , and championship boxing . sky news … the latest news , around the clock The highly acclaimed 24 hour news and current affairs channel . keeping you up to date with what 's happening at home and around the world .
Idiom: out and about (used idiomatically: no)
The Novel Absorbers Evaluation Club are desperately seeking some Antimony 124 or 125 ( Sb124 , Sb125 ) either in metallic form or as a liquid source . Would anyone who could help please contact the Secretary of the Club , Grahame Murphy , R10 , 353 , Harwell . OUT AND ABOUT Strings in Church 24 July : 20,000 hours , Oxford Sinfonia concert in the University Church , Oxford .
Idiom: on a roll (used idiomatically: no)
Then the awesome silence is broken by the closing hymn and the congregation skail into the autumn air , all their communion cards safely gathered in , registering their presence and ( if Kirk procedure is being properly followed ) entered on the roll . Many kirks hold only two such services in the year , the second at this time of the year . It is inevitable that they are attended by those whose prime motive appears to be to register their attendance and thereby retain their name on the roll . Lest it be thought I am attributing vile motives to such people , it is noticeable that when non - card communions are held , attendance is considerably diminished . Seasonal tide
Idiom: play games (used idiomatically: no)
Paul Lane had warned him that Phyllis liked to play things her own way , and now it looked as though she did indeed . He wished she 'd surface . He hated playing guessing games . Dust was beginning to deposit itself over his furniture , while the kitchen floor needed scrubbing where he had dropped an egg on it . A visit from Mrs Brocklebank was long overdue .
Idiom: come to grief (used idiomatically: yes)
It was sent to her home and came at last to her family . The young woman 's death did not find its way into Jarvis Stringer 's book . Only accidents of a more spectacular kind would appear there , the first ‘ sledger’ to come to grief , the over - zealous railmen attempting to close doors who were decapitated at tunnel portals , the victims of fire . He read the account of the inquest and of the later failed efforts of the family to bring an action against London Transport Underground . If they had been successful , the incident might have appeared in one of the chapters of disaster .
Idiom: have been around (used idiomatically: no)
The purr - fect German beater EIGHTEEN years is a long time in the life of a motor car . It is twice a car 's normal lifespan but that is how long the Jaguar XJS has been around . During that time it has had numerous facelifts , and in what must surely be the last of its nine lives , the Big Cat has had another . Two years ago , new owner Ford was encouraged to spend a lot of money on cosmetic changes to make it look pretty …
Idiom: serve someone right (used idiomatically: yes)
What ? Someone played that accidentally you ca n't use that ! Knowing your Mum is a served you right ! She 's been getting quite a lot of in our jokes over a couple ha ! Oh he 's forgotten his cool dude glasses .
Idiom: up to scratch (used idiomatically: yes)
DO IT YOURSELF Are your machines showing their age ? If your faithful old fridge , freezer or washing machine is n't looking quite up to scratch , why not give it a face - lift with a fresh coat of paint from an aerosol spray Be safe when using aerosols To prevent the valve of an aerosol can becoming clogged , turn it upside down after use and press the nozzle for a couple of seconds , then give it a wipe with a cloth dipped in white spirit .
Idiom: take the floor (used idiomatically: no)
' We used to go to The Mayfair and Oxford Galleries in Newcastle and The Brighton in Gateshead , ' recalls Muriel , now ' fiftysomething ' . ' We wore skirts with as many layers as possible with a plain dress on top showing off our shoulders . ' We listened to Joe Lewis , In The Mood , that sort of thing and took up the whole floor for dancing — they hardly move around now . And there was no booze at all , just pop . ' The Oxford Galleries has undergone several name changes since then .
Idiom: from scratch (used idiomatically: yes)
It is the availability of the fibre optic network that helps MBS address the problem of setting up the interactive links between the service itself and its users . Such a network has vastly greater band width than conventional cable networks and enables information such as ordinary telephone calls to coexist with a flow of large amounts of data , video and audio traffic . Sophisticated network management software is needed to control the information flows and MBS has had its own system designed from scratch for the needs of its particular applications . Once established , advanced switching technology within the network will allow users of MBS to tie their own local area networks using the service into a wide - area network . Workstations accessing the service are Unix - based but can be chosen from a number of manufacturers including DEC , Macintosh or Sun .
Idiom: word of mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
They were already getting used to the fact that they were very popular . Even though they might be cult , they were very popular cult . That first tour did a lot to make the rest of the tours tremendously successful because , with all things like that , if you do play to a small group of people and you still do a great show , then by word of mouth the word spreads how wonderful you were , even though it was n't packed . It stays with them — very omnipresent in their minds . They remember that and they love you for it even more , so when you go back , you have this staunch hard core group of fans that really bring things like that to a head , that really make it happen for you .
Idiom: hell for leather (used idiomatically: yes)
Vern ! Wait ! What d'you mean ? ' — and ran hell - for - leather after him . He stopped and turned round just before the drive . ' Station .
Idiom: in the bag (used idiomatically: yes)
Flake the fish and carefully stir it into the sauce . Spoon the mixture into four small dishes . Place the potato in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle . Starting from the centre , pipe in an outward spiral to cover the pies . Place under a low grill and cook until golden brown , about 10 minutes .
Idiom: spot on (used idiomatically: no)
Pinkie consulted the senior partner . " Not everyone 's buy . But if someone 's looking for an unusual night spot On Grace there was , after all , not so very much to be done . The barges , designed to be sailed by one man and a boy , could be laid up in a few days . Only the mast gave trouble .
Idiom: your guess is as good as mine (used idiomatically: no)
‘ For what purpose?’ ‘ Search me . Realms of speculation , Captain , where your guess is as good as mine . The only thing that occurs to me is a mine , a marine mine . Neatly dispose of any passing aircraft carrier , I should think.’
Idiom: one of those days (used idiomatically: yes)
Hello . Hello what 's that noise ? I knew this was going to happen it 's going to be one of those days . Jennifer ? Hello .
Idiom: big hitter (used idiomatically: yes)
And the bit - on - the - side nods feverishly . ‘ I know all the big hitters around here . Give me a line - up of blokes I 've never met before , and I 'll pick out the big hitter for you.’ The bit - on - the - side 's nods go into overdrive . ‘ Oh , he knows all the VIPs,’ she says , ‘ and he 's even introduced me to some of them .
Idiom: put two and two together (used idiomatically: yes)
However , recent scientific examination by an international team of scientists suggests that his is an early copy of the original now lost . Height 1.7 m. Computing and mathematics : Putting two and two together Peter Main Centuries ago , mathematics was dubbed ' handmaiden of the Sciences ' , and with good reason . The earliest discoveries in mathematics were made by the great physicists and astronomers in the course of their work , and in those days great scientists had to be great mathematicians .
Idiom: keep the peace (used idiomatically: yes)
The authorities in England and Wales also brought over 600 charges under the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875 for ‘ watching and besetting’ premises , including the homes of working miners ; this was the first significant use of this section in living memory . When cases came to court , the police often dropped charges in return for binding - over orders , issued under an even more ancient statute , the Justices of the Peace Act 1361 . This did not require proof of any wrongdoing and involved the defendant undertaking , on pain of a financial penalty , either to keep the peace or to be of good behaviour , depending on how the matter was treated by the magistrates . During the strike , there were allegations that the police used binding - over orders in cases which they knew could never result in convictions but in which they wanted to avail themselves of the opportunity for the imposition of bail conditions which they knew such a charge would give them ( Christian , 1985 : 133 ) . Conditions on the granting of bail may be imposed by the magistrates ' court on defendants against whom charges are pending .
Idiom: under fire (used idiomatically: yes)
Fergie cops ' HQ in shed POLICE guarding Fergie 's schoolgirl daughter took delivery of their new HQ yesterday — a £ 25,000 armoured garden SHED . But it immediately came under fire … from an angry councillor . The 8 ft by 6 ft shed is at £ 600-a - term Montessori school in Winkfield , Berks , where Princess Eugenie , two , is a pupil . It has 1 inch - thick armour plating , bullet - proof windows , security bolts — and central heating .
Idiom: in business (used idiomatically: no)
And Altovar Limited has been given three months to pay the eight thousand pound fine . Britain 's most exclusive clockmaker is about to call time on his business — because of the recession . Sinclair Harding clocks has been in business for twenty five years — exporting timepieces all over the world , even to Switzerland … But now the firm has been beaten by the slump . Ken Goodwin reports .
Idiom: bear in mind (used idiomatically: yes)
Both processes resulted in similar CL zonation patterns . This implies that variations in CL intensity need not necessarily reflect changes in bulk pore fluid composition . However , the experimental growth rates are probably much higher than those encountered under geological conditions , but this effect should be born in mind . CEMENT STRATIGRAPHY One of the commonest applications of CL in carbonate rocks is in revealing successive stages or zones of void - filling cements with far greater precision than that possible with optical microscopy .
Idiom: on the back burner (used idiomatically: no)
Again , discussion and agreement of the time scale with the client should take place immediately , together with a detailed examination by the partners of available resources and current work load . There is clearly no sense in setting an impossibly short timetable in order to impress the client . On the other hand , the allowance of too much time will lead to stagnation , lack of enthusiasm and the job 's being put on the ‘ back burner’ when more important assignments arrive . The timetable must be formal and actual , i.e. dealing with dates not periods of time . The way in which the time - frame is applied to each assignment is covered in the following section on Job control .