Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: spend a penny (used idiomatically: no)
‘ She resisted and he fled empty handed.’ The man police are looking for is well built , about 5 ft 9 in or 10 in , and was wearing a dark blouson jacket . Raising cash to spend a penny A CO - OPERATIVE of local councils could help reopen Langbaurgh 's public toilets , a councillor claims . The idea comes from Coun Tony Mason who believes the town and parish councils in his East Cleveland area could use cash from their precepts to reopen essential toilets such as those in Saltburn town centre , Guisborough , Loftus and Lingdale .
Idiom: go all the way (used idiomatically: no)
White clinched a quarter - final place when he potted the last red and colours to the pink in the deciding frame . Afterwards McManus said : ' Give him an inch and he dishes up . I fancy Jimmy to go all the way and win the tournament . He 's in good form . ' White added : ' It 's great to get my game back , but I would not have been disappointed if Alan had won . '
Idiom: out of the woods (used idiomatically: yes)
49 The mother had taken a house by the sea for a month for her daughter 's health and it turned out to be an Indian summer that year . When they came up the grassy track that led to the headland , out of the wood that clothed the side of the valley where the village was , the girl was delighted and her mother relieved that she liked it . She had been listless for some time and the woman could only hope that moving her right away from the influence of the people she went around with into these beautiful surroundings might bring her back to herself . She had been surprised in the end that her daughter had agreed to come , she had been so arbitrary and changeable lately , and there had been no way of knowing what would please her , and what bring out her bitter scornful sneer .
Idiom: hand to mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
But then again , when their own benefit came , that was a chunk out of it . To start with , you know . And er so it really was a hand to mouth existence and going without . Mhm . Living on very little .
Idiom: break even (used idiomatically: no)
And if any MP does not have a heavy workload , he or she should have . The circumstances of many other workers are very different . Many companies which are taking long breaks over Christmas and New Year are doing so because their order books are thin or even empty . The idea of a 16-day break may sound like bliss but it is actually a sign of dire economic times . For some other companies it is uneconomic to open for just a few days between bank holidays .
Idiom: with a will (used idiomatically: no)
Later John Frith , a Cambridge graduate , became not only his collaborator but his dearest friend ; but Frith was seized whilst on a visit to England and committed to the Tower . There Tyndale wrote to urge him to avoid any discussion of the Sacraments , but he failed to take this advice and was convicted as a heretic precisely on this question and was burned . A last letter to him from Tyndale ended , ' Sir , your wife is well content with the will of God and would not , for her sake , have the glory of God hindered . ' Tyndale may also have been assisted in his translations and proof reading by John Rogers and Miles Coverdale , both of whom continued his work after his death . However , in the choice of his last collaborator , Henry Philips , he made a fatal mistake .
Idiom: rough and ready (used idiomatically: yes)
Little weasels . That was still the thought in her mind as she struck the ground , not knowing how she came to be there , as one never knows , having suffered a blow aimed from behind which came at her like a thunderbolt , felled her in the presence of a hundred indifferent spectators and left her prostrate , struggling as in those terrible lodging - house dreams , to get up , to breathe , while the weasel - pack fell on top of her , shrieking with laughter . Just another rowdy street game , a half dozen ragamuffins playing rough - and - ready with a woman who was probably a drunken whore , on market day . Very likely . Who cared ?
Idiom: cost the earth (used idiomatically: yes)
Luckily Sandra has become expert enough to do her own repair work A gift that really grows for you If you are looking for an appealing gift that does n't cost the earth , Belinda Thomas could provide a solution . She runs Greener Gifts Ltd , from her home in Chipping Sodbury , near Bristol and will sell you 36 square feet of woodland for £ 25 . Belinda 's project — to plant more woodland — was motivated by concern for the environment , especially the loss of the natural habitat for wildlife .
Idiom: down the drain (used idiomatically: yes)
Anyone moving onto common land should fence the livestock out if they have a problem . Voice over As the argument goes on , Roger Sanderson says the time he spends cleaning up instead of working in his factory is money down the drain . Fire has damaged a disused hotel at Abingdon in Oxfordshire . ABINGDON / Oxfordshire
Idiom: turn heads (used idiomatically: yes)
This will mean that you have to look only one way for the oncoming traffic . Reach the bollard which gives you the opportunity to pause , and take your time before you look in the opposite direction and cross the other half of the road . Always aim to look first one way and then the other , move both head and shoulders together in the direction in which you want to look ; avoid turning the head . The seven points below are taken from Living With Giddiness , a leaflet prepared by Mrs M. Seiffert MCP . 1 .
Idiom: across the board (used idiomatically: yes)
In Dublin , Fred Hanna found that ‘ one or two’ customers had mentioned discounted books — Conor Cruise O'Brien 's biography of Edmund Burke , for example , which Dillons was selling at 25 % discount — but added that sales of the work were still good at his shop at the full price . ‘ People are a bit wary of discounted books ; they think they are old books.’ Mr Hanna made a plea , for licence to discount ‘ across the board for , say , a week after Christmas , when everybody else is having sales’ . While he remained a stout supporter of the Net Book Agreement , he described the National Book Sales as ‘ too limited’ . Certainly , David Flatman 's Bargain Bookshops , which did discount heavily on its bargain books during the Christmas season , ‘ because we had too much stock’ , found that this helped to get rid of slow moving titles .
Idiom: Indian summer (used idiomatically: yes)
He protested to her hotly about this extravagance , but was quickly sent back to his rocks , cowering from her wrath . The third fall after the oil strike in Alberta came slowly in , while Isobel mourned her husband , quite unaware that she had mortally offended Mrs Frizzell by crowding her August garden party off the social page of the Tollemarche Advent . The glory of the Indian summer crept across the land with pale sunshine , golden leaves , deep - blue skies and treacherously cold winds . The publication day of Hank Stych 's book went unremarked in Tollemarche , mainly because the only bookseller in the town had not had time to unpack his new stock , and book reviews were featured only once a month in the Tollemarche Advent and then only in an obscure corner of an inner page . The leaves fell thickly in the more established portions of the city , to the envy of residents in the bare new suburbs who were still awaiting paved roads and street lights , never mind trees .
Idiom: take someone's word for it (used idiomatically: yes)
You 'd ruin her life , and I wo n't let you!’ ‘ You 're the one who 'd ruin her life . And take my word for it , you 'll never have her!’ ‘ Oh , but you 're wrong ! I love my sister .
Idiom: pecking order (used idiomatically: yes)
With a large dog , like a Rottweiler , it may be beyond the capability of the new owner to dominate the newly acquired adult dog . In such cases , I would recommend that you seek professional help , for the dog you have acquired may have already been in conflict with his former family and won the contest . Such dogs do not take well to a lower pecking order and skilful training is necessary . Any Rottweiler that makes an unprovoked attack on a human being should be destroyed . Here in the UK , we have to clean up the image of our Rottweilers , which has been so tarnished in recent years .
Idiom: go with the flow (used idiomatically: yes)
Latex is also hypoallergenic — it does n't hold dust and is therefore ideal if you suffer from asthma , hay fever or bronchitis . It holds its shape very well since it does n't get broken springs , lumps or bumps . Go with the flow Originally developed for use in hospitals , water beds distribute body pressure much more evenly than conventional models . And as the mattress is made of vinyl , it wo n't absorb dust or bacteria and can easily be wiped over .
Idiom: in the flesh (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I thought you said you had a lot of respect for him as a reporter?’ Blanche laughed gently , allowing the whisky to roll over her tongue . ‘ Until I met him in the flesh . He 's too charming by half.’ ‘ What 's puzzling me is that phone - call Nicola had at the party .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
Speed boats and fishing nets also need to be kept out of the area . DOLPHINS COMING TO THE RESCUE Dolphins have often rescued people at sea . Swimmers in distress have been carried to safety on dolphins ' backs . Dolphins have suddenly appeared to help fight off a shark attack , and they frequently guide boats through storms or treacherous waters .
Idiom: in the running (used idiomatically: yes)
She is being considered as a best actress nominee for the first British Academy of Film and Television Arts advertising awards . Elton John is being considered for the best actor nomination for his Coca - Cola advert . Comedians Vic Reeves , Russ Abbot and John Cleese are also in the running for nominations , to be chosen on Monday . The winners will be announced later this month at a dinner hosted by David Frost at London 's Royal Albert Hall . Gazumping makes a comeback
Idiom: in the clear (used idiomatically: no)
This team wants to play and wants to win and it 's beginning to show . ’ Mortgage rates fall below 5% TWO of Britain 's top building societies have slashed their mortgage rates to below 5% in an attempt to clear their backlog of repossessed homes . Halifax Building Society , the nation 's biggest mortgage lender , and Bradford & Bingley are offering new buyers of repossessed homes a rock-bottom mortgage rate of 4.99% . This represents a massive 2% cut on previous rates and compares with the existing average mortgage rate of 8.5% and fixed rates of between 7.2% and 7.75% .
Idiom: get a move on (used idiomatically: yes)
In December 1981 the Secretary of State for the Environment threatened to activate these default powers in Norwich , where the Labour - controlled city council had sold only 250 properties in the first year of the Act . The minister 's position was ultimately upheld by the Court of Appeal in February 1982 . In his judgment Lord Denning suggested that if Norwich would ‘ get a move on’ in processing applications to buy there might be no need for the minister to act . This in fact happened . Norwich agreed to take on an extra twelve staff and to clear the backlog of applications .
Idiom: short shrift (used idiomatically: yes)
Because they want nothing , they 're untouched by the evils of the outside world . Every now and again some of the pearling luggers come this way . They get short shrift . We do n't want any get - rich - quick people here . Everyone on the island 's got enough to eat.’
Idiom: across the board (used idiomatically: yes)
The Euro Parliament can not make community law , it can only recommend . But it has a strong voice … and it is n't just directed at cheese . They 're targetting food colourings across the board , not even cocktail cherries are safe . An MP says he 's confident that the case of two men , jailed for life for killing a drugs dealer , will be reopened . Home Office officials are now re - examining the case , in the light of new evidence .
Idiom: up the river (used idiomatically: no)
Number one ; you have nowhere to live . Number two ; the only thing you know about London is how to spell it . And number three ; you 've signed your way into a deal you know nothing about and which has almost certainly sold you up the river . Does that sum it up?’ ‘ I suppose so.’
Idiom: by heart (used idiomatically: yes)
Outside , the garden was empty ; but Ruth found Adam where she 'd expected , under the big chestnut tree that grew at the end of the lane . For the first time in days his eyes seemed to acknowledge her . The tree had been another meeting place of their childhood , and she knew the flaky bark and cracked pavement by heart . Somehow the familiarity calmed her . ‘ Adam,’ she said , ‘ we 've got to give Undry back to Jake.’
Idiom: out of the box (used idiomatically: yes)
I thought , I thought the other one had got it go on , go on . When you think of it , these chemists to date , no wonder their wives are on a low wage and the moaning all the time because they 're not bloody chemists , they 're just getting pills out of a box Yeah , that 's right , yes , yeah you do n't see erm doing this but , well after that , I mean
Idiom: off the shelf (used idiomatically: yes)
It was agreed that his employment would end on 11 July . On 16 April he resigned his directorship of Balston Ltd and it was agreed that he need not attend work during the remainder of the notice period . In the period between 16 April and 11 July he bought H Ltd off the shelf , arranged premises for it and ordered materials preparatory to the start of trading on 11 July . H Ltd was to trade in direct competition with Balston Ltd. Scott J however did not criticise H for his activities during the notice period .
Idiom: bright young thing (used idiomatically: yes)
Her mother was a flighty , dainty and delicious Southern belle from Virginia , one of eleven sisters including the legendary Nancy Astor . Her father , Paul Phipps , was an architect , also of American parentage , who influenced his daughter 's love of music and the arts and her abiding faith in the Church of Christian Science . Nannies , boarding schools , ‘ bright young things’ , coming - out parties , tennis parties , house - parties for Noël and Gertie , Mrs Patrick Campbell , George Bernard Shaw , Darling Binnie and Boo … ‘ When I was a girl there was always Time , There was always time to spare .
Idiom: swings and roundabouts (used idiomatically: yes)
I believe that there 's an awful lot to be learnt from taking the much more targeted industrial point of view because the research becomes tidier . The downside is that if you channel your thought too much , you might never see the blue sky . So it 's swings and roundabouts.’ The application of monoclonal antibody research in medicine is more widespread than just in the treatment of cancer . Currently Beverley is working on developing a test to predict accurately the risk of Respiratory Distress Syndrome ( RDS ) in premature babies .
Idiom: over the top (used idiomatically: no)
No , no over the top . Over the top ? Over the top . Oh I see . And the other thing erm which er er is good , supposing you 're watching er a programme and there 's a football match on and you 're interested in the , the football er but you do n't really want to keep , you know , switching to find out what the score is , er I 'm talking about teletext as opposed to a programme , you press the update and it w er and if something 's happened , you know , they 've changed and there 's been a score , it 'll come up er er while you 're watching the programme , er it 'll let you know that erm there 's been something happening .
Idiom: up the spout (used idiomatically: no)
Er , hello there , my name 's Mike , well let 's go over to the weather with Winsy , no Winsy , oh Rita 's dropped dead , she 's jumped off a cliff we think , we think and now we 'll go over to Winsy . Hello my name 's Winsy insy spider climb up the spout , down came the rain and washed Winsy out , when the sun came out it dried up the rain , insy , winsy spider climbed up again thank you , oh thank you , oh thank you , I know , thank you , well , today , at midday today it 's going to be tipping down with rain and winsy , winsy , winsy , spider will fall down the rain , Melissa Er , oh , right , on toni , tonight we 're gon na have sun and maybe a bit of snow and tomorrow morning we 're gon na have a full moon
Idiom: in the hole (used idiomatically: yes)
Few will doubt that the Great White Shark 's win in Canada is good for the game , but the manner in which he won his first tournament in almost 28 months did little to dispel those nagging doubts that his temperament is susceptible to pressure . Norman must have been desperate to win after such a long absence from the winner 's circle , but that does n't account for his alarming collapse over the closing stretch in Canada . He was some three shots clear of the field standing on the 14th tee , but then lost this advantage after he recorded a double - bogey and two bogeys in the last six holes . Indeed , he had to hole from 12 feet on the 72nd to get into a sudden - death play - off with Bruce Lietzke . If the truth be told , it was Norman 's putter which kept him in the hunt down the stretch .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
If the smoke had climbed to the upper atmosphere , it could have remained airborne for months , travelling much farther and possibly affecting the world 's weather patterns . The computer model at Britain 's Meteorological Office predicts that the fires ' effect on this year 's monsoon will probably not stand out against the monsoon 's annual variations . Although more oil is ablaze than was first thought , there is less oil at sea . Recent estimates of the size of the slick put it at 2.5m-3 m barrels of oil , not the 7m - barrel monster that had been feared . According to the Cambridge - based World Conservation Monitoring Centre , almost all of this oil has already been washed ashore or is in the shallows along 200 km of Saudi coast ; it has not moved down to the southern Gulf , where most of the turtles and dugongs live .
Idiom: make the cut (used idiomatically: no)
Erm and we would very much er long to see work that department does erm continuing er also be continuing er beyond actually . So its taking quite a . The other exception to accept the erm the the savings identified as possibilities relate to item thirty structural and maintenance of of the roads we could make a cut of of half a million . Erm we are saying that we certainly could n't go that far , maybe two hundred thousand but we would want to put it back so you will have an equal there in terms of spending . From the structural maintenance I think all members who remember before they start er
Idiom: break the ice (used idiomatically: yes)
Sort of Yes that sort of thing yes . Yes I well remember er I use when I was staying down at Trimley there was erm a lady there who worked in the Billeting Department , who ca who herself was evacuated from London and er , I used to catch the same bus with her but she never would speak to me , erm and erm one morning er she lived down at Curton and one morning they had some erm er German planes over Curton and they were doing some machine gunning and that sort of thing and erm and we met at the bus stop and she was full of it and erm that sort of broke the ice it was it was really amazing , Mm .
Idiom: sour grapes (used idiomatically: yes)
This possibility is never far away . Ten lepers were healed by Jesus ; only one returned to express his thanks . When the Prodigal came home and the elder brother became jealous and self - righteous , the antidote for his sour - grapes was a refresher course for his memory : ' My boy , ' said the father , ' you are always with me , and everything I have is yours . ' In the parable , the King 's servant , forgiven a crippling debt of millions , refused to forgive his fellow servant the debt of a few coins . By demanding payment on a trifling amount , he is remembering what he should have forgotten and forgetting what he should have remembered — that he himself has just been forgiven .
Idiom: tell tales (used idiomatically: no)
A gentle , very gentle , introduction is made via a ramp on the right side of the buttress ; just enough to get limbs moving and anticipation rising before a small platform is gained . Climbers who have succumbed to the lurking intimidation will find this little haven quite familiar over the next few moments … hours? … as repeated attempts are made to commit themselves to a traverse across the wall towards that seemingly distant arête . There really is n't any need to worry though , for all around are ample nut slots , several with the tell - tale whitish scarring that bears witness to the secure passage of countless stoppers and hexes and thus , be implication , other climbers . Once the traverse is begun , peace of mind is more easily attained , albeit temporarily . The wall is not as steep as it looks and a pleasing sequence of stretches and foot - changes , made all the more enjoyable by more excellent protection , leads to a stopping place just short of the arête .
Idiom: to say the least (used idiomatically: yes)
' Of course Marsh went wild . He rang the managing director of Downton and said that if the other two players did n't have their contracts cancelled immediately he and Mary - Ann would call a Press Conference , tear up their contracts with his company , and tell the world 's Press why . ' To say the least , the company were in an impossible situation . They either had to abandon a very important marketing campaign and also write off God knows how many millions of pounds already spent on it and on guarantees to their lesbian lovelies , or let Mary - Ann Curtis and Larry Marsh go . ' This was exactly what Martinez had planned , and the rumour was that he worked the whole scheme out with Derek Jefferson .
Idiom: spit it out (used idiomatically: no)
In two months my two albino Oscars have grown from 1″ to 3–4″ , feeding well on pellets , until recently . One day they went off their food and the two Plecostomus in with them died . I started regular water changes , and one fish now eats a little , but the other one spits it out . Particles of pellets have polluted the tank , the gravel acting as a reservoir of pollution , despite the water changes . With the fish in a bucket of tank water ( aerated ) stir up the substrate and let the mess settle .
Idiom: flash in the pan (used idiomatically: yes)
She 's self - assured and she knows where she is going in life,’ he added . As the trio began mapping out the songs that would fill Kylie 's first album , Stock was among the first to make what was to become a familiar prediction . ‘ She is no short term flash in the pan . We hope was are still working with her when she is thirty — if she still wants us then . In the meantime , we have been very lucky to have her … ’
Idiom: all along (used idiomatically: yes)
It was strange music , full of strange sounds that he knew he could n't hope to understand . She was keeping her voice low , much as one might while singing a lullaby to the one wakeful soul in a house full of sleeping children . He felt his skin tingle , he felt the fine hair all along his spine react as if a low current had been run through him . She reached down and , for a moment , Pete was half expecting some response ; a stag , perhaps , breaking the surface of the lake and climbing out to her , water streaming from its flanks as it came to her hand . She stood there like a dark messiah with some unseen flock before her , and Pete could n't help but begin to assemble shapes out of the grainy darkness and to give them solidity and movement .
Idiom: fall short (used idiomatically: yes)
The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971 . Saint ~ Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983 . In 1998 , a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint ~ Kitts fell short of the two - thirds majority needed . Nevis continues in its efforts to separate from Saint ~ Kitts .