Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: when push comes to shove (used idiomatically: yes)
After considerable reflection , a discussion of the match with a wide circle of friends , a session with a sports psychiatrist , and two calls to the Samaritans , I decide that I lost because Martin played much better than I did . Yes , that seems to be it . When push came to shove , the lad showed big - match composure . I console myself by reflecting that not only do I have a higher lifetime - best break than he does ( 34–30 ) , I also hold several other table records . For instance , Most Humiliating Break : five balls for seven points ( three reds and two yellows)including two flukes .
Idiom: hot air (used idiomatically: yes)
Air obviously makes it burn . Hot air means that it 's burned better . And the hot air is injected near the bottom of the furnace where the temperature is about fifteen hundred degrees celsius , Whoa ! which is just a little bit warm .
Idiom: on the house (used idiomatically: yes)
The death of William IV occurred in 1837 , by which time Victoria was just eighteen years of age and , therefore , able to be crowned Queen . The Victorian Era In the same year as Queen Victoria succeeded her uncle , King William IV , Dr. Edward Tuke took a lease on the Manor Farm House , in what by then was called Chiswick Lane , and it became a home for mentally ill gentle - persons . Dr. Tuke pioneered treatment of mental illness , and when he died , in 1855 , his two sons , Thomas and Edward , both being qualified doctors , carried on the practice . Thomas married one of the daughters of Dr. John Conolly ( under whom he had studied the ' non - restraint ' system of treatment for the mentally ill ) at the then new Middlesex County Asylum at Hanwell .
Idiom: no man's land (used idiomatically: yes)
On Aug. 4 and 5 , in the week before UN staff were due to arrive in the territory to start preparing the January 1992 UN - supervised referendum [ see p. 38169 ] , Moroccan aircraft strafed the oasis of Tfariti in the north - east , near the Mauritanian border , while Polisario Front guerrillas claimed to have shot down a Moroccan aircraft . The attacks , followed by further clashes later in the month , ended a 21-month lull in fighting between Morocco and the Polisario guerrillas , and appeared to place in jeopardy a formal UN - backed ceasefire due to come into effect on Sept. 6 . A Moroccan government statement on Aug. 7 said that that the armed forces were " conducting clean - up operations in no - man 's land " between the Moroccan defensive lines and the Western Sahara 's borders , and accused Polisario of infiltrating the territory with the aim of " perturbing and delaying " the referendum . In a letter to UN Secretary - General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar on Aug. 7 , the Polisario secretary - general and President of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic Mohammed Abdelazziz complained of a policy of " deliberate derailing " by Morocco . Pérez de Cuéllar on Aug. 9 called for a truce to be maintained until the implementation of the formal ceasefire .
Idiom: slip through the net (used idiomatically: yes)
Caring as a community has its costs . Millions of carers argue that they bear the brunt of the job … without recognition , or proper payment . Critics fear tomorrows changes in community care will mean some councils cope better than others in providing a service , so more people will slip through the net . Helping the less able in society to lead an independent life is the key principle . Tomorrow we look at who pays for community care , and is it really possible to give the kind of care that so many people need .
Idiom: to the letter (used idiomatically: yes)
Umpires are even empowered to use their own initiative to ensure that a game reaches an equitable outcome . The 1992 World Cup in Australia tolerated no such licence . The World Cup Committee adhered strictly to the letter of their own rain - laws that ‘ in matches where play is interrupted or delayed the number of overs are to be rearranged so that both teams have the opportunity of batting for a minimum of 15 overs ( 25 overs in the semi - finals and finals ) according to the number of overs calculated on a basis of an average rate of 14 overs per hour.’ And ‘ if the tam batting second has not had the opportunity to complete the required number of overs their target score will be the runs scored by the team batting first from their equivalent number of highest scoring overs.’ No extension of time was permitted beyond the scheduled hours of the games .
Idiom: dice with death (used idiomatically: yes)
' Better now ? ' Steve asked , grinning widely as she finally dabbed at her eyes . She nodded , dicing with death once again as she swallowed more champagne . ' I think you 're right , ' she agreed at last . ' Quasimodo could appear sensual in the right setting — candlelit dinner at the Ritz , maybe . '
Idiom: at the end of the day (used idiomatically: yes)
he 's a lot to stretch him . he 's erm he 's a lot more intelligent than he lets on , and he 's one of these that lets all the others push him down , where at the end of the day he can turn round And gets what he wants does n't he ? Yeah , because he 's the smart one .
Idiom: by and large (used idiomatically: yes)
WASHINGTON – In most advanced democracies , a large center - right party competes with a large center - left party . Of ~ course , the extent to which an electoral system favors large parties – by having high popular - vote thresholds to enter parliament , or through winner - take - all constituencies – affects the degree of political fragmentation . But , by ~ and ~ large , the developed democracies are characterized by competition between large parties on the center left and center right . What , then , are true centrists like Mario ~ Monti , Italy ’s respected technocratic prime ~ minister , to do ? To be sure , regional and ethnic allegiances play a greater role in some places in Europe – for example , Scotland , Belgium , and Catalonia – but far more so in emerging countries , where political cleavages also reflect specific post - colonial circumstances and often the legacy of single - party rule .
Idiom: marriage of convenience (used idiomatically: yes)
Around 1500 James set about building a suitable royal palace beside David I 's Holyrood abbey and under the mighty presence of Arthur 's Seat . Holyroodhouse incorporates the Chapel Royal , where some Scottish monarchs were married and some were buried in the - royal vault . Here James 's own marriage of convenience to Margaret Tudor took place in 1503 , after he had sired a number of children on various mistresses . Unashamed nepotism ensured that one of the boys became Archbishop of St Andrews while still a minor . Some eight years after that wedding James was less happily responsible for another major work in the city : the Flodden Wall , of which only a battlemented tower now remains in the Vennel between Lauriston Place and the Grassmarket .
Idiom: bright and early (used idiomatically: yes)
So instead of being encouraged , she was being buffeted about and becoming distressed . Now I know that if I hold my arm up but keep it still she has the benefit of the updraught and will open her wings and take off . I arrived bright and early at Brian the falconer 's house for day one of my course . Derek had come along too , to keep me company and because he fancied the idea of hunting with hawks . For me it meant more than that .
Idiom: in the black (used idiomatically: no)
And not quite in keeping with the positive approach she was committed to . With a diplomatic smile , she expressed herself more subtly . ' I 'm a believer in getting things down in black and white . That way everyone knows exactly where they stand . ' ' But we already know where we stand , do we not ? '
Idiom: out on a limb (used idiomatically: yes)
Now , she added , the next hurdle for the team would be to find a sponsor to help with the expense of travelling to the championships . Rebbecca , left , Medi , Sarah and Sally looking for a sponsor Picture : JEFF PITT Opponents of open - air market ‘ out on a limb’ By Ian Lang Daily Post Staff COLWYN Bay 's chamber of trade was yesterday accused of being ‘ out on a limb’ over its opposition to controversial proposals for an open air market in the town .
Idiom: on the skids (used idiomatically: no)
. Yes . I was sweating , you could imagine thinking God we 're going to have to take the wheels off and drag it through with a tractor or something like that on skids , cos we needed the van for Monday and there was n't going to be a lot of t But then suddenly yes a again I suddenly th . I remembered the noise I remembered the noise as we went past the pub , so I went back to the pub and sure enough there were fifty Sorry thirty burly men .
Idiom: up the river (used idiomatically: yes)
It looks as though it stopped work a decade ago . There was a period of austerity in government fiscal policy when spares could not be imported . The police have moved to another town further up the river which gives Ewaso Narok its name , Black River . Now Ewaso Narok is , apart from the stranded earth - mover , home only to two bars and a shop selling soap , maize meal and other staples . Masai elders enter these tiny shacks , elegant in their cloaks and blankets but looking to me — from the dusty , baking cab of my Toyota — shifty .
Idiom: sit on the fence (used idiomatically: yes)
At the top of the range we have the House Builders Federation with and excess of fif fifty thousand dwellings . The county council appear to be somewhere in the middle , er at around forty one thousand er two hundred dwellings . I think I need to say on that , that that should not be taken as the county council sitting on the fence between two opposing er extremes . The county council thinks that its proposed provision is the right approach and it 's a balanced approach in line erm with Secretary of State 's previously e stated wishes . The approach of the county council is based on certain principles , first of all it reflects the decision of the Secretary of State on the originally approved structure plan and particularly on the first alteration to the structure plans er in nineteen er eighty seven .
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
The Young Persons Railcard , valid for anyone aged between 16 and 24 — or for any full - time student -normally costs £ 15 . Until 4 November it is available for £ 10 . It provides discounts of up to one third on most fares and a 50 per cent discount on the Network Card for travel in London and the South - east . The Weekend First scheme , which offers First class at a small supplement to Saver - class fares , has also been extended . The £ 3 supplementary charge now applies to the whole journey , rather than to each train taken .
Idiom: on the skids (used idiomatically: yes)
ICI , up 5p , unveiled the name of its new drugs and chemicals business , but was cagey about precise plans for demerger . The new division will be called Zeneca and will take in seeds , agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals . Thorn - EMI was on the skids again , down 14p at 778p , following news of a new Chrysalis music venture headed by former Virgin man Steve Lewis . Chrysalis added 1p to 57p . Euro Disney , ahead of today 's figures , jumped 17p to 900p .
Idiom: taste blood (used idiomatically: no)
She had shouted out to them , ‘ Do n't hurt him ! Do n't hurt him!’ , but it was lost in the general melee and then she was punched once again , this time harder and more painfully . She felt her top lip swell up as she tasted blood , and she said nothing more . She could only think of Adam and pray he would be all right . They 'd thrown her into a Jeep and driven her into the Heide , through the woods , to a large wooden building hidden in the trees .
Idiom: left and right (used idiomatically: yes)
Fall down and right , go up and collect the star , fly up two platforms and right , push the crate onto the switch , go left and fall down , fall through the left side of the cave floor you land in , go right on the ride and collect the arrow , go left on the ride and up on the platforms , go right on the platforms in the cave above , push the crate right onto the switch , go right , down and left on the dodgems , jump up onto the platforms , then onto the wall above , go right through the wall and collect the star so you can fly , fly left , up , go right and collect the arrow . Fall down and go right on the dodgems , go up and right through the wall , go down and collect the scroll , go up and push the crate right off the platform , fall down and push the crate left off the platform , fall down and push the crate right off the platform , push it left off the next platform , then right and left twice , jump on the big wheel on your right , jump off and at the bottom of the screen go right , collect the arrow , go left and up , go right and climb up on the platforms , go left and collect the star , fly right , up and right , push the crate right off the platform , push it left onto the button , go left , down and collect the star . Fly right to the platform under the last button you hit , go up and collect the arrow , go down and right , go left and right through the platforms to get to the bottom , at the bottom go up the other side of the wall , collect the star and fly left over the spikes , collect the arrow and recharge your flying abilities on the star , fly right and go down , go right to the star in the grass , collect it and fly up , push the crate down , fall down . Push the crate left to hit the switch , go down , collect the star and fly up , left and then down , go left , collect the star , fly straight right , then fly up , land on one of the platforms on the side of the wall , jump up and go right on the chair - lifts , go down , right through the wall , climb up the blocks , push the crate down two platforms and go back through the wall , go left , down , right and jump onto the boat , go right , up and left into the tent to complete the game . BOO !
Idiom: on the house (used idiomatically: yes)
GERMANY Killing of Turkish woman and two girls A racist arson attack on two houses occupied mainly by families of Turkish origin , on the night of Nov. 22 - 23 , killed two girls aged 10 and 14 , Yeliz Arslan and Ayse Yilmaz , and Yeliz 's 51-year - old grandmother , Bahide Arslan . These killings , in Mölln , Schleswig - Holstein , brought to 17 the number of people who had died in extremist attacks during 1992 . The killings prompted spontaneous protests in several German cities .
Idiom: with a view to (used idiomatically: yes)
The obstacles in his way , as he saw it , were the rule which purported to prevent the making of an ex parte residence order and section 9(5 ) of the Act . Section 9(5 ) provides : ‘ No court shall exercise its powers to make a specific issue order or prohibited steps order —(a ) with a view to achieving a result which could be achieved by making a residence or contact order ; … If the effect of the rule was that an emergency ring holding position could not be achieved by making a residence order , because of a requirement for 21 days notice , then section 9(5 ) would have no application and the judge was free to achieve the objective by means of a specific issue order and/or a prohibited steps order . In that context I have had to look at the definition of a specific issue order which is contained in section 8(1 ) of the Act and I know , from talking to those who have been concerned with this Act and are familiar with it , that they have no doubt at all as to what that definition means .
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: yes)
I left Sydney on January 20th , 1927 . I arrived in London in deep fog . Alas , I am still immersed in Fog . In April I took myself to Reading University and began work in the Art School . Two years I spent there .
Idiom: state of the art (used idiomatically: yes)
But in the Soviet Union , there are 12 000 000 products , 40 000 enterprises and a conceivable infinity of transactions . Therefore , we should not expect the centre to be omniscient . Soviet economists estimate that with state of the art computer technology , ten years of work would be required to produce each one - year plan . Until this state of affairs comes about , plans will be the outcome of a long - term process , not easily altered after they are drafted ; and planners will have no choice but to make rough approximations and search for performance indicators which are easy to monitor . ( Thus , the 12 000 000 products are ‘ aggregated’ into 48 000 ‘ positions’ ) .
Idiom: fly in the face of (used idiomatically: yes)
Macari 's story was no less dramatic . In 1984 , when his successful playing career still had a few years to run , and his gambler 's mantle had been taken by the rugged striker Alan Brazil , Macari moved into management with Swindon Town . In many respects it was a compulsive and unexpected decision which flew in the face of other better offers . Manchester United had offered him increased terms to stay on the club 's playing staff ; several years later Chelsea offered him even more money to leave Swindon and he became the elite London club 's assistant - manager , but on both occasions Macari put the unspectacular west country side first . His apparent obsession with Swindon Town was in many respects the beginning of the end .
Idiom: good Samaritan (used idiomatically: yes)
Central station , platform six . Contributing to homelessness . Moderator if the Board wanted a patron saint , my sole nominee would certainly be the good Samaritan cos he got it right . He was faced with a situation where he had to deliver a service , to use the jargon of social work which has dropped into their report . He went not to collect particulars and feed them into a computer , he went to get down on his knees and get himself covered in mud and blood .
Idiom: strike a chord (used idiomatically: yes)
He thinks Labour should have its own economic policy , instead of shadowing the Tories as they shadow the Germans . He is aiming for full employment by Keynesian means , redistribution of wealth through jobs , not taxes . That strikes a chord in the South , which Mr Gould represents and Mr Smith does not . It is true that all polls showed how popular Mr Smith was with voters , and that he is the most experienced and competent man on offer . Labour feels safe with him .
Idiom: high and low (used idiomatically: yes)
Without this fibre , there can be a large fall in the blood sugar level , which causes hunger . Oat bran , which is the outer protective coating of the oat grain , is one of the best sources of soluble fibre and can be eaten raw or cooked . The Fat and Fibre Counter later in the book lists the fibre in all the major foods but the following lists give a general idea of high and low fibre contents in some of the main foods : HIGH Peas Bran Prunes Beans Sweetcorn Bananas Wholemeal bread Brown rice Dried fruit Potatoes , baked Leafy vegetables
Idiom: keep up appearances (used idiomatically: yes)
After all , it was during the reign of Catherine the Great that the “ Potemkin village ” was invented , whereby the squalor of the lives of Catherine ’s serfs was hidden behind cheerfully painted housing façades as the Empress toured her country . In today ’s Russia , the overriding myth is that Putin has presided over a rapidly modernizing country . Here the cheerful façade is composed of Russia ’s miniature president , Dmitri Medvedev , whose job – like that of the American First ~ Lady – is to keep up appearances . And the appearance that needs the most maintenance is that of a modern and civilized Russia . Upon assuming the presidency in 2008 , Medvedev proclaimed : “ We must achieve a true respect for law , and overcome the legal nihilism that is hampering modern development . ”
Idiom: in the long run (used idiomatically: yes)
In the short run , investment may be seen mainly as a component of aggregate demand which , if increased , will have the effect of stimulating the economy and , through the multiplier , substantially raising the level of National Income . Fixed and inventory investment together made up almost 13 % of TFE in 1991 . In the long run , investment will also affect the supply side of the economy , raising its productive potential and thereby pushing outwards the production frontier . Economic growth is sometimes strictly defined in this way , being that increase in GDP which results from raising productive potential . More usually it is loosely defined as any increase in GDP , even when that is within the existing production frontier .
Idiom: stake a claim (used idiomatically: yes)
In that , they became a valuable ally of the BEA , enjoying in return an increasing influence over the latter on matters where presentational concessions could smooth the industry 's political path . The BEA and the Area Boards reciprocated by , in general , not ' padding ' their capital applications with bogus figures to anticipate cuts , though the BEA did , on occasion , deliberately withhold information which they felt would prejudice their case within the Ministry . As the relationship developed , the rhetoric staking claims to differentiated skills and functions remained , but each side moved culturally closer to the other . Officials in the Ministry wrote to the BEA for the ' facts for next year 's campaign ' against the Treasury , and were thought by the BEA officials ' quite genuinely to be trying to fight our battle ' . Despite the Permanent Secretary 's disapproval in principle , several senior civil servants from the Ministry were later to join the industry 's management .
Idiom: slap on the wrist (used idiomatically: yes)
One of the earliest signs was short - term memory loss . Most high flying executives , he told me , could not survive a day without a list in lieu of a memory . So instead of a slap on the wrist I got promoted to high - flying executive symptoms . I sat there with his words washing over me like warm water , I was n't mad . I just needed a holiday .
Idiom: on your toes (used idiomatically: yes)
Often we try to run too fast and land on our heels with consequent shock to our knees and the rest of our bodies . You may have seen a film of the African tribe , the Masai , running : they run on their toes . If you begin by running on your toes very slowly , even at walking pace , you will be able to obtain the benefits without strain . And only go faster when you feel you can . Listen to your body and see what you are comfortable with .
Idiom: to the tune of (used idiomatically: yes)
Albert clasped his hands together in front of his chest and looked suitably forlorn . The song ended and Albert took a bow . Next , he sang about ‘ Wine Flowing in the Garden of Eden’ and then got the audience swaying gently from side to side to the tune of ‘ My Jane , my Pretty Jane’ . ‘ The Flying Falcons,’ bellowed the Chairman , as the stage became alive with muscular men leaping and somersaulting . They threw each other around and the audience yelled for more .
Idiom: doom and gloom (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Actual losses on mortgage during 1991 and the provision for 1992 are well below the national industry average and prove the wisdom of our policy of prudence in lending and the good sense of members of the community in the management of their financial affairs . ‘ Whilst tragic in any circumstances , property repossessions were at a very low level , representing only 0.25 per cent of mortgages outstanding , and at the year end not one mortgage was 12 months or more in arrear . ‘ Our experience indicates that the national feeling of doom and gloom in residential property ownership is clearly not appropriate in our region.’ Disabled hit by blanket parking ban The disabled this week reacted angrily to a blanket ban on vehicles in part of Darlington town centre .