Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: go to the wall (used idiomatically: yes)
With the outbreak of the Troubles in the late 60s , the NILP came under increasing pressure from the rival sectarian political camps . At this stage , the NILP sought to become incorporated within the wider Labour Party and to play a full role in the state - wide struggle against the Tories . After some initial encouraging noises from Jim Callaghan , the Labour Party turned this request down and the NILP was allowed to go to the wall in the near - war situation that the province had become by the early ' 70s . Labour continues to neglect the cause of socialism to this day and it can justifiably be accused of undermining its natural supporters in the province . Given the demoralisation caused by this neglect , it is somewhat galling to hear Labour spokesmen smugly declare that there is no support for socialism in Northern Ireland .
Idiom: not miss a trick (used idiomatically: yes)
Now it was she who was using the past tense . He lifted an eyebrow . ' You do n't miss a trick , do you ? ' ' Do you want me to ? ' ' No , it 's all right .
Idiom: throw in the towel (used idiomatically: yes)
BELL ATLANTIC ‘ TO RESURRECT VLIW TECHNOLOGY FOR SPARC’ Somewhere in the depths of Bell Atlantic Corp , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , Very Long Instruction Word technology is making a resurgence , and this time around it 's destined for use with Sun Microsystems Inc 's Sparc RISC chip . Bell Atlantic acquired its VLIW technology from minisupercomputer builder Multiflow Computers Inc for an undisclosed fee after the pioneer of that particular brand of computing threw in the towel back in 1990 when it ran out of cash ( UX No 276 ) . Bell Atlantic is understood to be working on an implementation of Multiflow 's ingenious Trace Scheduling Compilers for 64-bit Sparc architectures . The development work is n't thought to be linked to Sun in any formal way , but the news comes just a week after Sun revealed that it is playing with a 64-bit Sparc , and outlined its intent to define the ground rules for such environments through a new release of Sparc International 's interface specification for 64-bit Sparc architectures ( UX No 380 ) .
Idiom: with bated breath (used idiomatically: yes)
Quite apart from its railway history , the theory goes , Swindon 's a perfect base for exploring some of the most picturesque places in England . But several Swindonites remain sceptical . Neither Bradford nor Birmingham regrets entering the tourist trade — the industry waits with bated breath to see how Swindon fares . It 's that time of year when theatres everywhere are given over to the mayhem that is panto … when men are dames and the principal boys are girls . But which one to choose … here 's a selection of pantomimes playing in the Central South area .
Idiom: pleased as punch (used idiomatically: yes)
' Mr Hocking ? ' she said . ' He 's expecting you . Pleased as Punch , like I thought . Excuse me not shaking hands — ' she looked down at her own hands , then looked around the garden . ' I do n't know why I bother .
Idiom: steer clear of (used idiomatically: yes)
It was in relation to one of these , the Siberian Goldfield Development Company formed in May 1900 , that Hooley and his associate H. J. Lawson were charged in 1904 with fraudulent share promotion . Hooley was acquitted but Lawson received a twelve - month jail sentence . Thereafter Hooley steered clear of companies for some time , concentrating on land deals . In 1911–12 he was involved almost simultaneously in three distinct sets of legal proceedings . First , his trustee , Mr Basden , charged him with contempt of court for failing to produce statements of his financial affairs over the preceding five years , and Hooley was eventually committed to Brixton Prison for a month .
Idiom: get a grip (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ We hold these truths to be self - evident … ’ she recited . Uncle Sam came at her , long arms outstretched . She kicked him in the face with her boot - heel , and he got a grip on her knee . ‘ … indivisible under God , with Liberty … ‘ Other hands grabbed her , and she was dragged towards the crucifix .
Idiom: all along (used idiomatically: yes)
The application of the Woolwich principle in the present case might well create no administrative difficulties inasmuch the payment was made under protest and was almost immediately followed by an application for judicial review . The revenue were thus aware from the outset that the validity of their demand was being challenged . The position would have been very different in the case of a payment made some years before which was sought to be recovered because a court in another case had ruled that the regulation under which the demand had been made had all along been ultra vires . There is in theory a good deal to be said for the submission of Professor Birks in his Introduction to the Law of Restitution ( 1985 ) , p. 295 , that a payer should be able to recover payments demanded ultra vires by a public authority on the sole ground that retention of such payment would infringe the principle of ‘ no taxation without Parliament’ enshrined in the Bill of Rights . However it is clear that in practice some limitation would have to be imposed on any such principle .
Idiom: to all intents and purposes (used idiomatically: yes)
Elsewhere on Southern Region ( where main-line passengers could see no prospect of new stock ) 1980 saw the introduction of the first refurbished 4-CEP ( Class 411 ) unit No 411506 . These main-line electric multiple units had been built between 1959 and 1963 for the Kent Coast electrification with a design life of approximately twenty-five years . To all intents and purposes , the body shells of the old units were rebuilt above the solebar at Swindon Works and new ( and considered by many less comfortable ) seats with removable cushion covers , fluorescent lighting , double-glazed windows and a public address system were installed to extend their working lives into the twentyfirst century ! With their infamous riding qualities , the units compared ill with the air-conditioned delights of Mark 3 and HST stock being introduced on other regions . But despite the still-falling demand , 1980 was not all gloom and doom .
Idiom: heart of gold (used idiomatically: yes)
Jones , reeling from a £ 20,000 fine and suspended six - month ban imposed by the FA for his part in a video nasty about soccer dirty tricks , has to pick himself up at Middlesbrough . And while Hendrie has plenty of sympathy for the Wimbledon midfielder , ending Boro 's 10-match run without a win takes precedence this afternoon . Hendrie said : ' Vinnie has a heart of gold off the pitch . Some of the criticism is unwarranted . It 's just his name , nothing else .
Idiom: once in a while (used idiomatically: yes)
You have indicated to me yourself that since she is dead there will be no more Durances for me to sell . None of the same calibre , I mean . Durance himself may manage something once in a while , but there is no one who can help him achieve those masterpieces in the way that Jourdain did . No one else was of the same mind as he . He was able to feed his ideas through her as other artists use a brush or a pencil.’
Idiom: neither here nor there (used idiomatically: yes)
After all , Water Gypsy does belong to you.’ Fen shrugged . ‘ Six months is neither here nor there in the scheme of things . I may even be abroad for some of that time.’ ‘ Oh,’ Robbie said rather flatly .
Idiom: sweat blood (used idiomatically: yes)
It 's there in each of us , just waiting to be used ; it 's the dividing line between the survivors and the rest . We are the good guys : we do n't like violence , and we hate anger and aggression . But sometimes we are going to find ourselves facing those who thrive on fear , sweat , blood and adrenalin — people to whom fighting is a way of life . Walking along with a friend one evening , near Leicester Square , I noticed two men arguing with each other . One was a scruffy thin man with long wispy hair who was , rather surprisingly , wearing a suit and holding a briefcase in one hand .
Idiom: walk of life (used idiomatically: yes)
IT WAS JUST like a genteel Hampstead tea party , at which celebrities mingled with the chattering classes among the cakes and biscuits and gossiped about the people who were n't invited . Labour yesterday put on the biggest gathering of the glitterati in the election campaign so far to underline its claim to be the party most famous people will vote for . Among about 400 guests in the Atrium at the Millbank centre , just along the road from the Houses of Parliament , were authors , entertainers , stars from stage , screen and sport — and a smattering of ordinary people from worthy walks of life such as ambulance drivers , nurses , teachers and charity workers . They heard a mixture of poetry , prose and politics , with a speech from Mr Kinnock that featured all three . ‘ Friends , this is a very good way to spend a Sunday afternoon,’ he said , so overcome with emotion at a tribute to his courage from Sir Richard Attenborough that he felt inspired to quote from a Shakespearian sonnet .
Idiom: face to face (used idiomatically: yes)
And that is you do n't mention the price or anything else until the last possible minute . Here we tell them absolutely everything on on the phone . Because if you leave anything to chance they 'll blow you out when you get face to face . And you can chase your tail an awful lot Oh people are very wary of advertising
Idiom: on the hop (used idiomatically: yes)
Yes . You have to , because , how can you be busy for that entire period of time ? It 's too hard to think on , you know , on the hop , you know , it 's not a , it 's impossible . They have to , they have to come . Yes , yeah .
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: yes)
There is no man in a red jacket standing next to a yellow kayak on some rocks by the ocean
Idiom: to boot (used idiomatically: no)
The Scots trailed 12 - 0 to Nadroga at the interval though , as in Canberra , the opposition scores , through Lala and Esala , the latter 's converted by Suka , had come from Scottish largesse when originally in possession . If that point , which coach Douglas Morgan had amplified repeatedly in last week 's aftermath , still needs re - inforcing , the coach was at least able to reflect with satisfaction on the birth - pangs of Scotland 's try . ‘ One of the things we have been working on is getting men back behind the ball,’ he said and when Stanger did just that in retrieving a kick - ahead from Nadroga , Nicol , Appleson ( twice ) and Turnbull , too , made sure the winger was not in isolation , for Ian Corcoran to boot on delicately and claim a grand try , Appleson converting . ‘ Silly errors,’ in Morgan 's view had cost the Scots the tie . Can Scotland close the gap before the Rugby World Cup at Murrayfield from 16 - 18 April ?
Idiom: in a fog (used idiomatically: yes)
My eyes are my most beloved possession — Take away not my eyes , if everything else crumbles to nothingness , The eyes are not only the windows of the soul but in them reflect the beauty of life . 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 .
Idiom: rock bottom (used idiomatically: yes)
I simply can not see the point in having things I do n't need . I am now mobile . Upwardly so , I suppose , since I have now hit rock bottom . ‘ Rock bottom’ sounds nasty , but in fact the whole experience is rather disappointingly painless . The bad yellow - eyed woman made me take my toothbrush in case I got carted off to pokey .
Idiom: get to grips with (used idiomatically: yes)
So on the basis of a mis - spelt name and a single hazy photo , we rang our travel agent to book our flight to La Paz and put Plan B into action . July 1 , La Paz , Bolivia Jet lag , culture shock , altitude sickness ; we struggle to get to grips with this , our first morning in South America . Poverty huddles in corners or squats by pitiful displays of chocolates long past their sellby date . But humanity , rough and raw , intoxicates us with its unfathomable energy and good humour .
Idiom: all along (used idiomatically: yes)
When he had gone , Jessamy wandered into the small bedroom and sat down on the bed , because her legs felt as if they just would n't hold her up any longer . She still could n't quite believe it was Eleanor who had sent her that poisonous letter , Eleanor who had destroyed her clothes and personal belongings . And Julius had known all along that it was Eleanor ! She did n't think she would ever be able to forgive him for keeping that information from her . Julius returned several minutes later , with an armful of blankets .
Idiom: under fire (used idiomatically: yes)
However , despite claims by Mr Hawke and Sir Peter Abeles , Ansett 's joint managing director and a close friend of Mr Hawke , that air services would be back to normal by next month , there is no sign of this happening . Less than 5 per cent of the Ansett and Australian Airlines fleets have been in the air , using management pilots in a skeleton service supplemented by Royal Australian Air Force planes and overseas airlines . Mr Hawke 's handling of the dispute has come under increasing fire from business , unions and the press . The tourism industry , Australia 's biggest foreign currency earner , is losing A$ 35 m a day from the dispute , which would put its losses so far at almost A$ 1.5bn . Nearly 15,000 tourism workers have lost their jobs and the industry has lost almost 300,000 tourists a week .
Idiom: in the works (used idiomatically: yes)
Surely , as prime evidence of date and function the artefacts must be integrated into the excavation report itself and the artificial division into materials replaced by objects grouped according to function and deposit . This kind of arrangement may be possible in the more flexible reports of major excavations now being planned , and will be a great advance on the old - fashioned set - piece type of report which seems to be designed only for those wanting to study particular types of artefact , rather than the history and significance of the site itself . Although Wheeler was never particularly interested in Roman pottery , he demonstrated the way it could be used to date construc - tional sequences on the Welsh forts , and it is unfortunate that this was not developed in his work at Verulamium , where what must have been a very small proportion of the pottery was published in the Report of 1936 ( Wheeler and Wheeler , 1936 ) . There is a very useful collection of 111 vessels of the first half of the first century under ' Belgic Verulamium ' ; a group of 18 vessels from the filling of an unfinished well - shaft dated by a coin of Pius ( 145 — 161)'lost in fair condition ' , and a stamp of the samian potter GERMINVS who is also found on the Antonine Wall ( 142 — 163 ) ; a pit group ( Pit 6 , Insula V ) of 14 vessels with a coin of Pius ( 154 — 155 ) ; 9 vessels from Triangular Temple , from the filling between two floors of the courtyard ; there follows 9 more vessels , from different places , and 15 predating the S.E. gate , and finally , there are 7 from Pit 5 in building IV , considered as late fourth and possibly fifth century . Clearly an attempt has been made to select key groups , but they are not used very effectively to date major sequences and odd conclusions were drawn , which were to have far reaching effects .
Idiom: life and limb (used idiomatically: yes)
To arrest for offences under the Public Order Act 1986 and the Criminal Law Act 1977 ( s.17(1 ) ( c ) ) . ( b ) To recapture a person who is unlawfully at large and whom the officer is hotly pursuing ( s.17(1 ) ( d ) ) . ( c ) To save life and limb or serious damage to property ( s.17(1 ) ( e ) ) . The ambit of this appears very wide . While not a new power , it was one not greatly recognised or understood at common law .
Idiom: off the record (used idiomatically: yes)
This year the Chancellor has been insisting that the pound can not be allowed to go any lower , because of the dangers of inflation ; and he has allowed the Bank of England to give a strong endorsement of his argument . Nobody is yet convinced that he really would be willing to raise interest rates if there were a prolonged run on the pound sometime this year . At home , while Ministers are careful not to use such words as ‘ green shoots’ in public , they use them off the record all the time to political journalists , who dutifully pass the message on to the reading public . Nevertheless , the opinion polls which test public confidence in the future of the economy are showing a substantial majority on the side of gloom , if not doom . There are positive signs ; there is more money in circulation and some of it is being spent .
Idiom: smart alec (used idiomatically: yes)
Marvellous green - blue eyes and he had Repose . Nothing precocious . Nothing smart - alec . Almost shy but sure of himself , you know . ' It was Williams 's perceptive and remarkable schoolteacher , Sarah Grace Cooke , who met him and said to Emlyn , ' He 's like you : but he has the devil in him .
Idiom: get the boot (used idiomatically: yes)
He slipped out and went to his tent , got his revolver , and emptied it in the direction of Woolley 's tent . Everyone ran into the rain to see what was happening ; everyone except Woolley . ' By the time I got my boots on it would all be over , ' he told Margery . ' I do n't suppose he hit anything , anyway . ' They found out next morning that be had in fact , hit an aeroplane ; but not seriously .
Idiom: get cracking (used idiomatically: yes)
( £ 11 , £ 10 ) as part of a UK tour to promote their latest long player , which is actually untitled , although some would say it is self - titled . GROOVES Levellers will perform in front of 70 , people during the tour , and already well over 50 , tickets have been snapped up , so get cracking if you want one for the Belfast gig . These guys are popular . GROOVES
Idiom: by and large (used idiomatically: yes)
The State for Engels and Marx was as we saw , a tool by which the dominant class maintained its position . According to this theory the State therefore arises with the appearance of classes . This is an extremely bold theory , but in the present stage of historical and anthropological knowledge it is not possible to say whether Marx of Engels were clearly wrong , as they were over primitive promiscuity , or by and large right , as they were over the gentile constitution . One problem is a matter of definition . Some Marxist anthropologists have argued that units which do not contain classes are not true states , and of course , in these cases , by definition there can not be classless states .
Idiom: through thick and thin (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Yes . You know your father . Working class , a socialist through thick and thin , and us . Two worlds , really . It could have been difficult .
Idiom: tried and true (used idiomatically: yes)
That 's the bit about Esau selling his birthright to Jacob for a mess of pottage . Guess we kinda know now where he stands on the issue . One of our tried and true sources claims Sun Microsystems Inc managed to move 2,000 of those nettlesome 40MHz Viking - based Sparcstation 10 Model 41s out of the door by the end of the year . These were the ones giving them so much grief because of low chip yields ( UX No 412 , 413 ) . Even this better - than - expected showing , however , does n't do that much for Sun 's margins because it had to promise free MP upgrades .
Idiom: on the ball (used idiomatically: yes)
Portsmouth were back level in two minutes … the United defence in which new signing Anton Rogan played well got caught out by hot shot Chapman again At the start of the second half Portsmouth looked good for another goal … Lee Chapman was staring a hat trick in the face … but United 's Paul Kee had his eye on the ball too … Kee and his defence danced with danger more than once … this was a clear scoring chance which Portsmouth missed … The game was decided on 64 minutes … as far as penalties go you win some you lose some …
Idiom: all wet (used idiomatically: no)
Yeah . Oh ! Pocket 's all wet ! Mm ? Pocket 's all wet !
Idiom: under fire (used idiomatically: no)
From there , it will be transported 1,000 miles overland to Chengdu , at the foot of the Tibetan Mountains , where it will reassembled at the site of a tube - making company . CHESHIRES FIRE BACK AT ATTACKERS A soldier of the Cheshire Regiment keeps a look - out for guerrillas after his patrol came under fire during their relief mission in Bosnia . The Cheshires , part of a UN relief team , were forced to return fire to cover their withdrawal after the attack on a Serb held route to a northern town . One of the team 's Land Rovers was left with a bullet hole to its wheel - arch , right
Idiom: kicking and screaming (used idiomatically: yes)
Still , they are about to discover the very real difficulties of using this medium during the delivery of their first course . Dick Davies , Coordinator HIT / CECOMM , Southampton Institute of Higher Education , Southampton SO9 4WW . IREAD with interest the article on the introduction of information technology into the NHS ( Kicking and screaming , November 23 ) . Our group is researching prototypes for an intelligent computerised information environment for use in general practice . Two projects , Practitioners Enter Notes ( Pen ) and Practioners Access Data ( Pad ) , funded by the Department of Health and the Medical Research Council respectively , are applying user - centred design strategies in the development of a human - computer environment for use within the GP 's consulting room .
Idiom: take a bath (used idiomatically: no)
She had been to the cinema with boys . She had left school against her mother 's wishes , had married against her mother 's wishes . Yet while Liz , the good daughter , the dutiful daughter , was taking a deep hot bath on New Year 's Eve before changing for her party , Shirley the rebel was serving up a hot meal for her mother in the old house in Abercorn Avenue before rushing back ( without appearing to rush ) to see what was happening in her own oven at home , where she was cooking a goose for her husband Cliff , his brother Steve and his wife Dora , her own mother- and father - in - law , and Dora 's Uncle Fred . While Liz was nibbling pistachio nuts , surveying dominions , Shirley , hot , red and angry ( but not appearing to be angry ) was listening yet once more to her mother - in - law 's description of her digestive system and what the doctor had said about the swelling of her legs , a commentary which followed closely upon her complaints about the absence of her two older grandchildren who had ( in Shirley 's view very wisely ) buggered off to a disco at Maid Marian 's Nitespot . ' In my day , ' she was saying , ' New Year 's Eve was a family evening , young people did n't just suit themselves .
Idiom: argue the toss (used idiomatically: yes)
So she says they usually put schedules on for fourteen month for the next ten months , twelve months . Yeah . So the order 's on so I 've got to try and argue the toss with her Right . Yeah .
Idiom: hands down (used idiomatically: yes)
He had expected a butler or some obsequious manservant , at the least a maid or companion , to welcome them into a room shining with silver and silk carpets . Maud , inured to poor heating and the threadbare , was still a little disturbed by the degree of discomfort represented by the sad lighting . She put her hand down and called Much , who came and pressed his body , trembling and filthy , against her legs , between her and the sinking fire . Sir George came back and built up his fire with new logs , hissing and singing . Joan is making tea .