Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: back to the drawing board (used idiomatically: yes)
We have n't looked the correlation to . Well I think this is partly one of the reasons that as urologists we need to be thinking about changing gear . It 's been a very big step to use pressure flow studies at all , and now that we 're used to using pressure flow studies , we 're going to have to go back to the drawing board and perhaps learn to use a different kind of technology that 's ambulatory , that allows us to take multiple measurements of the same patient , rather than making a treatment decision based on a single observation . Neil , you 're , I 'm , I 'm not quite clear on exactly your definition of obstruction .
Idiom: make a move (used idiomatically: yes)
It 's cheap , cheerful and trashy but on another level it 's a well focused snapshot of the time of social change , emancipation and free love . Wide boy Gary chats up Sue but she does n't want to be called a slut . Rick fancies Sharon from afar but neither has the confidence to make a move . The loutish Eddie meanwhile fancies his chances with ‘ Frigid’ Bridgit and makes a bet with his pals that he can score by the end of the evening . The moves , counter moves , rejections , romances and broken hearts are spun together effortlessly through the music and will strike a chord with any teenagers and ex - teenagers who have fallen in love on a Saturday night .
Idiom: around the clock (used idiomatically: yes)
Coal is a cheaper and more easily used energy source than the alternatives . It is cheap because it is plentiful . It is easier to use than wind or solar power because it can produce electricity around the clock , without reliance on weather conditions . To save the planet , we need to induce power suppliers to adopt low - carbon energy sources despite coal ’s lower price and greater ease of use . The obvious way is to tax coal , or to require power ~ plants to have permits to use coal , and to set the tax or permit price high enough to induce a shift towards the low - carbon alternatives .
Idiom: all along (used idiomatically: yes)
Let the dust settle then go for broke — by the time anyone realises what 's going on it will be too late and everyone can have a good time and relax . The dinosaurs can have Scafell until they die out , then if anyone can still be bothered to walk ( ! ) up there , I 'm sure a line or two of bolts would n't go amiss . In the end I suppose you 'll get everything , which is what you wanted all along really but have n't dared to say it . Though what you 'll actually get is nothing . No past , no future , no hope .
Idiom: in the long run (used idiomatically: yes)
NEW ~ YORK – Both China and the United ~ Nations ~ Commission on Reforms of the International ~ Monetary and Financial ~ System have called for a new global reserve system . That issue should be at the top of the agenda when the IMF ’s International ~ Monetary and Financial ~ Committee next meet . The essential idea is quite simple : in the long run , an international monetary system can not be built on a national currency – a point made a half - century ago by the Belgian - American economist Robert ~ Triffin . Recognition of this fundamental problem was the reason why the IMF ’s Special Drawing Rights ( SDRs ) were created in the 1960s . The dollar standard with which the world has lived since the early 1970s has three fundamental flaws .
Idiom: mean business (used idiomatically: no)
COMPETITION Small biz , big bucks If you mean business , we 'll help make your entrepreneurial dreams come true Setting up your own business is a very attractive proposition . So much so that , despite the recession , more than 250,000 new businesses have been started in the last 12 months — and over a third were set up by women .
Idiom: see red (used idiomatically: yes)
And a shelduck flew in to splash - land . Two of us decided to walk along the road which led to the public causeway and another , even larger , pool . Close by are woods where , so we were told , there would be a chance of seeing red squirrels . Retracing our steps , we passed the reed screen once more and I gave a cursory glance through the hole . What I saw , I just could n't believe !
Idiom: fly the flag (used idiomatically: yes)
This is a description of Mnemba Club , one of the private island paradises featured in CV Travel 's Different World brochure . If this has n't enticed you then consider the Caribbean isle of Petit St Vincent where guests stay in luxurious stone cottages . To guarantee complete seclusion guests are encouraged to fly a red flag outside their cottage ! Details from CV Travel on 071 581 0851 . RUNAWAY BRIDES
Idiom: go to the wall (used idiomatically: yes)
A number of Labour backbenchers are active in anti - pornography campaigns and are attempting to persuade the party to commit itself to new legislation . A prospective Labour government is unlikely to oppose such moves for fear of being dubbed ' the pornographer 's friend ' . ( ' We are not going to go to the wall for Escort and Parade ' , an ' associate ' of Roy Hattersley told The Observer , 6th May 1990 . ) Outside Parliament the pressure is being stepped up . In early 1989 the Campaign Against Pornography And Censorship ( CPC ) was formed .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
The package that the Fisheries Ministers will hammer out next week is just one more step on the way to that review . Perhaps next year or the year after we shall consider abandoning minimum sizes , landing everything and taking everything off catch quotas for each boat in order to abolish discards . Each boat would then be licensed by horsepower for a set number of days at sea based on a three - year track record . Perhaps next year we shall discuss flagship problems and decide that each boat must belong to a producers ' or other organisation , which is then allocated a quota from the United Kingdom TAC . That would mean , to quote one of my fishermen who suggested the proposal,’ Johnny foreigner can not get any more of our British quota.’
Idiom: open someone's eyes (used idiomatically: yes)
This was reality , whatever that might mean . This was Rose — past , present and future . She opened her eyes and smiled at him . ‘ Let 's do it again,’ she said . In the weeks following his bedding of Rose , Lowell gave himself to her totally .
Idiom: go overboard (used idiomatically: yes)
But they 're two very different people . ‘ They both have temperaments,’ says Andris Toppe , who has worked with the couple for eight years as choreographer and rehearsal director . ‘ Chris has a bit of a temper sometimes and can go overboard . Jayne 's more placid but if provoked she can come back with an equally strong response.’ Chris , 34 , admits : ‘ Jayne 's calm and level - headed .
Idiom: in the works (used idiomatically: yes)
Surely his Cenotaph to Newton was the greatest tribute one visionary could pay to another ? What Boullée showed above all was a new dimension of the vision of a man 's mind . In his work there was never anything small or mean . Everything he designed stood out in majestic size , and in every way passed beyond human values into the transcendent . None of his designs that we now possess was built , and my first thought was of regret that this should be so , but on reflection I knew that it was right .
Idiom: out of the question (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ So,’ said Gesner , smiling affably round the table . ‘ Which three productions shall we resuscitate?’ ‘ Fledermaus is out of the question . It was four years ago and Ingrid could n't cope with Adele . I think we shall have to look at just the last two years.’
Idiom: come to mind (used idiomatically: yes)
To be fair , the very earliest examples of misrepresentation were considered normal practice by the artists themselves . Before the days of audiences counted in millions , it was quite acceptable for artists to imitate other artists . One example which comes to mind is Bransby Williams , who emulated the performances of Charles Dickens and Sir Henry Irving throughout the first half of this century . In the late l9th century it was apparently a normal party - piece to imitate a well - known literary figure , signing - off with the name of the victim ; this has caused some confusion today , where recordings ‘ signed off’ by Sir Henry Irving and Oscar Wilde now have their authenticity questioned . In the case of Oscar Wilde there is very good reason for doubt .
Idiom: beg the question (used idiomatically: yes)
Take again " Men exist " , or rather its " logically regimented " paraphrase " ( Ex ) x is a man , or perhaps " ( Ex ) x is human " . The main problem here is what to do with the existential quantifier . Now it is of course always possible to substitute ( x ) Fx for ( Ex ) Fx , replacing the existential quantifier , that is , with a universal quantifier plus negation , but there is nothing much to be gained by such a swap , for to paraphrase the proposition that something is human by saying that it is not the case that everything is non - human is merely to beg the question . Everything and something and nothing are all logically interlinked and none of them makes clear sense without the others . A rather more promising approach might be to treat the existential quantifier itself as a kind of predicate — a second - level predicate to be precise — which , in our example above , says something about the " first - level " predicate " is human " , namely that the latter can be completed to produce a true proposition .
Idiom: short shrift (used idiomatically: no)
What you witnessed that night was Melanie trying to persuade me to perform the operation for her — or , failing that , to get someone else to do it as a favour.’ He looked Leonora in the eye . ‘ I gave her short shrift . As you know , I 'm sensitive on that particular subject.’ She flushed , her eyes falling .
Idiom: out of thin air (used idiomatically: yes)
I think at least some of the representatives — the head boy and girl and deputy head boy of Priory School , and some of the people from Ringmer School and so on— at least have contact now on a fairly regular basis with local councillors , local council officials and so on . I think it enables the young people that have been coming to those meetings to find out too the problems that Councillors and Local Authorities have in actually trying to carry out the sort of things they want . For example on the building that we 're talking about shifting , first of all we 've got to find a site for the thing , then we 've got to get planning permission , then we 've got to get the actual permission of the owner of the land , then we 've got to make sure that erm electricity 's laid on , that there 's water laid on , that there 's some sort of toilet or other facilities and so on , and when you add all that up it 's quite a complicated sort of series of bureaucratic procedures you 've got to go through and it 's not a question of , you know , of people saying to us as Councillors well , you know , do this for us and we can magic it out in six months out of thin air _ there 's an awful lot of paperwork that 's got to be gone through and an awful lot of people to see and an awful lot of red tape , really , to get through first — I mean just to make sure that the thing 's safe and complies with health and safety standards — and that 's something which you have to get across to young people and if they 're involved in the actual discussions on this and involved in the organisation , they begin to see the complexities and they 're less inclined , I think , to automatically assume that erm people are n't on their side and do n't want to listen . And of course Lewes is a small enough town that it 's possible for ordinary people to be involved in central activities like Council activities and so on . Yes , I think it 's a small enough town for people to get to know who their representatives are , to get to know each other , to get to know who runs which societies and organizations in the town , and that creates a sort of area of communal feeling that you do n't get in a place that 's , say , five or six times as big .
Idiom: tit for tat (used idiomatically: no)
He said Libya was not being ' stubborn ' , but merely holding out for an honourable solution to the crisis . The resolution demands that Libya should hand over two men suspected of planting a bomb which blew up Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in December 1988 with the loss of 270 lives . Life appeared to continue largely as normal in the Libyan capital , and the warning seemed to amount to no more than the routine diplomatic tit - for - tat when countries expel each other 's envoys . Col Gaddafi remained silent on the crisis , leaving his number two , Major Abdul Salam Jalloud , to denounce the sanctions in familiar terms as a Western conspiracy against the Islamic world . The generally low - key Libyan response suggests that Col Gaddafi is intent on riding out the sanctions and does not want to repeat the mistakes of President Saddam Hussein of Iraq , who provoked the West last year by taking foreign workers hostage as ' human shields ' .
Idiom: behind the scenes (used idiomatically: yes)
DAVID MOORE LINFORD Christie blew his top at his ‘ sleeping partners’ yesterday — and then blasted them to the chance of an Olympic medal . Our 4 x 100 metres squad will go into tonight 's final , which includes the flying American quartet led by Carl Lewis , after an amazing behind - the - scenes bust - up . Four members of the sprint squad missed the bus and arrived at the stadium later than they should have for the morning heats . Marcus Adam , Tony Jarrett , Jason John and Darren Braithwaite overslept and arrived to find golden wonder Christie fuming in the dressing - room .
Idiom: wear the trousers (used idiomatically: yes)
ANYONE brought up on Rupert Bear will feel at home with Maus 's small , friendly and engaging hero , Vladek Spiegelman . He has a triangular version of Rupert 's stylised muzzle with the same pricked ears and bright black - button eyes . He even wears checked trousers and a natty sports jacket , as he describes to his son Art how , in 1944 , he survived 10 months in Auschwitz , dodging from one hair 's - breadth escape to the next , outwitting his enemies by the skin of his teeth , emerging miraculously intact at the end of each cliff - hanging episode of this astounding strip cartoon . Vladek , like Rupert , is the epitome of pluck : jaunty , stouthearted and as resourceful as he is intrepid . He darts up ladders , down tunnels , holes up in hiding places cunningly constructed underneath a coal bunker or inside a gigantic heap of shoes .
Idiom: turn a blind eye (used idiomatically: yes)
you know , so , there 's no seen so much of it that it , that somebody will see some of it but then , well maybe there , and he did n't really erm , you know , you get out of it quick . Turn a blind eye do n't they ? Yeah , cos they do n't want to get involved and they 're frightened of the consequences . more police statements and probably hours police stations
Idiom: fun and games (used idiomatically: no)
If , like me , you prefer the sporting life , then you are spoilt for choice here . There 's tennis , windsurfing , volleyball and snorkelling to name just a few of the activities . And if you bring the children , they 'll be off enjoying fun and games with the other youngsters at the Pirates Club . Of course , as with all the Clubs , virtually everything is included in the price and you do n't have to pay a penny extra . Wine also comes free at meal times … what a way to start the evening !
Idiom: all along (used idiomatically: yes)
Watching as he grinned up at the bus driver , said something and laughed , she felt a hollow ache inside . It had been a long time since she 'd laughed , joined in a joke , been silly just for the hell of it . Leo was probably fun to be with , a great companion , a good friend , she thought , then gave a wry chagrined smile as he turned towards her as though he 'd been aware of her presence all along — and she might have known he would n't do anything so obliging as to walk off . With that deceptively loose - limbed walk , he ambled towards her , and Hilary tried to picture him as a property developer and failed . He looked as though he might be a racing driver , or a round - the - world yachtsman , something exciting and challenging ; certainly nothing so mundane as an estate agent .
Idiom: rags to riches (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ There is a wealth of talent out there in Northern Ireland , ’ said Harry , whose Go For It won a Belfast Telegraph EMA award this year . SING-SONG TIME LOCHSONG can continue her fairytale rags - to - riches story by landing the £100,000-added Hazlewood Foods Sprint Cup at Haydock Park tomorrow . Ian Balding 's mare , a mere handicapper less than 12 months ago , is now a fully-fledged , blisteringly-fast Group One performer . Rocketing out of the stalls in York 's Keeneland Nunthorpe Stakes last month , Lochsong maintained a ferocious pace to beat her Goodwood victim Paris House a length-and-a-half , with College Chapel third .
Idiom: yesterday's news (used idiomatically: yes)
There are two more branches of the much - divided tree of crime fiction that we ought to glance at in our discussion of books set in the past . The first is the sub - genre that bases itself on events in the past that are perhaps not quite yet history . Where does the dividing line come between yesterday 's news and the history books ? There is no telling . But there are a number of crime novels that make use of the immediate past to excellent effect ( Gladys Mitchell 's Late , Late in the Evening is one ) , and if the root causes of today 's events are something that set your imagination bubbling then perhaps this is the sort of book you would be best to write .
Idiom: chapter and verse (used idiomatically: no)
In 1980 , the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental ~ Disorders added 112 new mental disorders to its third edition ( DSM - III ) . Fifty - eight more disorders appeared in the revised third ( 1987 ) and fourth ( 1994 ) editions . With over a million copies in print , the manual is known as the bible of American psychiatry ; certainly it is an invoked chapter and verse in schools , prisons , courts , and by mental - health professionals around the world . The addition of even one new diagnostic code has serious practical consequences . What , then , was the rationale for adding so many in 1980 ?
Idiom: look on the bright side (used idiomatically: yes)
A Jodel can cost under £ 30 per hour , an Evans VP-1 under £ 20 per hour , and fixedwing three - axis microlights such as the Mike Whittaker range of designs under £ 15 per hour . Naturally these rates are variable according to hours flown and individual costs , but generally the more flying you do the lower the all - in hourly rate becomes . So let 's look on the bright side , Mr. Coles . It is still possible to fly for reasonably affordable rates in this country despite the sometimes quite exorbitant sums charged by some flying schools . I remember picking a Rallye 100ST at Dunkeswell for £ 12 an hour in the late 1970s , and my flying now costs me a little more than twice that per hour fifteen years later .
Idiom: cross swords (used idiomatically: yes)
Captain FitzRoy was also getting on Darwin 's nerves by this time . Four years at the Captain 's table were taking their toll . The two men , the former a steadfast Tory , the latter a dedicated Whig , had crossed swords on several occasions . The Galapagos gave rise to one particular dispute between the two men — one which was to prove , much later — to be at the core of the problem of evolution . FitzRoy had been struck by the peculiar appearance of a group of brownish - black birds living in the islands that resembled finches .
Idiom: on the ground (used idiomatically: yes)
Following our conversation , I thought the enclosed clips may be of interest . The article appeared last year in the Times Ed and basically explains why there is no mass boycott this year . She argues that the nature of the Tests is now so different that we can not object on the same grounds as each objection has been met . Basically Tests are to be done as worksheets in the classroom just as any other worksheet and would be done , to see if a child has understood the work taught . This is probably as far as the government are going to go in changing the Tests and is probably the best compromise we can expect to get .
Idiom: lame duck (used idiomatically: no)
‘ Stockton North people go more for the Conservatism of Macleod and Macmillan,’ he said . ‘ Like Simon we are n't extreme Tories at all.’ More belligerent than most , Fowler describes defending Labour candidate Frank Cook as a semi - retired lame duck ( ‘ just look at his voting record’ ) and can quote chunks from a Central Office publication called ‘ Who 's Left’ on Cook 's left wing connections . ‘ He 's in it more than Tony Benn and Ken Livingstone,’ he says . ‘ People here reject that brand of Socialism .
Idiom: out of the blue (used idiomatically: yes)
Now I must agree that the recommendation for generic substitution would provide savings for our poor beleaguered NHS . The DHSS estimates that it could save something around £ 30 million . The Guardian , in its wisdom , plucks out of the blue a figure of £ 200 million . Any savings , though , would be at a huge cost to the British pharmaceutical industry and companies such as Beecham , Boots , Fisons , Glaxo , ICI and Wellcome . The effect would be to damage those companies with a strong research base , some of their products would be replaced by imports from Eastern Europe , Italy and the Far East — cheaper because they come from companies that do not support expensive R&D and a continuing technical back - up for their products .
Idiom: play for time (used idiomatically: yes)
From EDWARD STEEN in West Berlin WHILE the East German leadership yesterday remained defiantly committed to another Tiananmen Square if need be , local party officials increasingly called for openness and dialogue with the opposition . The confused evidence suggests they are acting on their own initiative , not on directives from East Berlin to play for time . In Dresden , long known for a softer line than elsewhere , the Mayor , Wolfgang Berghofer , announced after talks with 20 church and New Forum opposition activists that he was willing to discuss their nine - point proposal , and release anyone arrested who was not accused of violence within 24 hours . The proposal deals with basic demands such as freedom of travel and of the press .
Idiom: out of the question (used idiomatically: yes)
However , his other suggestions are more helpful . Mr. Murphy : On a point of order , Mr. Speaker . It arises out of Welsh questions and the Secretary of State for Wales ' answer to the question that he was asked by my Hon . Friend the Member for Cynon Valley ( Mrs. Clwyd ) . [ Hon . MEMBERS : " Where is the Secretary of State ? " ] I see that the bird has flown .
Idiom: night and day (used idiomatically: yes)
East Germans board trains to freedom after long , wet wait From EDWARD LUCAS in Prague ALMOST 24 hours late , the first of several chartered trains left Prague for the West last night , carrying some of the 12,000 East German emigrants who had spent another night and a day on the chilly pavements around the West German embassy or in the embassy 's increasingly squalid grounds . About 1,000 Czechoslovaks gathered to watch and applaud the departure , which had been delayed by crowds of would - be emigrants in East Germany who had jammed railway stations in the hope of hitching rides as the trains passed through . Thousands blocked East German rail lines and crowded into stations to try to board the trains en route to Prague , and thus qualify for the trip to West Germany .