Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: behind closed doors (used idiomatically: yes)
The producers wanted to ensure the film was a hit in the States , they too were happy for Charlie to call the shots . One on - set photographer was quoted as saying : ‘ It became a standing joke that Kylie could be heard saying : ‘ Charlie 's right’.’ But back to Charlie and those gossipy tales about the steamy scenes that had been filmed behind closed doors : ‘ There 's no running around naked — it 's not a porno film . It 's pretty tasteful and although you do see me naked , it is done from a distance,’ she said . That was a defence she would have to repeat — again and again .
Idiom: save someone's skin (used idiomatically: yes)
In increasingly bizarre circumstances the Attorney - General , Sir Patrick Mayhew , discovered that a letter of his , partially rebuking Heseltine , had been selectively leaked to the press without his permission or knowledge by a young female official in the Department of Trade , one Colette Bowe . After denying knowledge of the leak to the House , apparently to protect the Prime Minister , Leon Brittan , the Secretary for Trade , also resigned on 24 January . Whether Mrs Thatcher herself was implicated in the leak is not known , but it was widely believed that Brittan resigned to save her skin . It was also known that Mrs Thatcher 's closest advisers , Charles Powell and Bernard Ingham , were implicated in the leak , and it seemed improbable that the Prime Minister should have been totally ignorant . There was a real threat that she might have to resign .
Idiom: get a move on (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ What does n't he see?’ Thacker was leaning against the skip , The Gaffer dangling menacingly from his fingertips . ‘ Erm — er — I do n't see how I 'm going to get all this sweeping done before dinner time , if I do n't get a move on!’ Sam started wielding the broom enthusiastically . ‘ Then what are you doing here?’
Idiom: all along (used idiomatically: yes)
I 'll remember.’ She sat down on the low wall . There were little spots of cement all along the top , where the railings had been torn out in the war . ‘ Ooh , my feet!’ She slipped off her right shoe , and wriggled her toes .
Idiom: white hat (used idiomatically: no)
That had been crucial , after all , had n't it ? Then , quite suddenly , it did n't really seem so important any more . Gilly , the Butcher , the grimy white hat … so what ? I decided to leave it , to leave it just as it was , as I had remembered it . Anyway , if I changed it who could tell what other inaccuracies might creep in .
Idiom: to say the least (used idiomatically: yes)
For the next 2000 years the abstract / axiomatic approach was with a few exceptions replaced by a more concrete intuitive approach . However , in the headlong rush to develop the newborn calculus of Leibniz and Newton , absurdities arising from the free use of intuitive geometrical arguments ( see problem 1 ) led to the so - called second great crisis and a call for analysis to be made more rigorous ; in other words based on arithmetic ( whose foundations were obviously ( ! ) secure ) . The publication by Lobachevsky in 1829 of a consistent ( non - Euclidean ) geometry , in which Euclid 's parallel postulate is denied , should perhaps have turned mathematicians ' attention back to a study of axioms , especially as it had long been appreciated that Euclid 's use of the axiomatic method was , to say the least , inconsistent ( [ 106]contains stronger views . ) However , this work apparently attracted little attention for several years . Eventually the desire continually to express concepts in terms of yet more " fundamental " ones led to Peano setting down in 1889 his symbolic and axiomatic description of the set of integers ( in terms of the undefined concepts : set , belongs to , zero , number , successor of ) .
Idiom: on edge (used idiomatically: yes)
He stood now on the edge of a precipice , and a mad impulse drove him to look down into it again ~ and ~ again , repeating his torment .
Idiom: in the long term (used idiomatically: yes)
But that and then the rest of the land is is open countryside E two land . It presupposes that that is right that those boundaries have been rightly drawn essentially for all time . Or or certainly in the long term . And erm I think that that is a very dangerous situation to get ourselves in even in a county where the emphasis is on to protecting er er on environmental protection . I still feel it is a dangerous proposition to be in and we could end up in a situation where development comes to a full stop .
Idiom: get stuck into (used idiomatically: yes)
What are they calling ? She 's terrible ! But once you got there and got stuck into the work and Well , whenever I leave the work . What ?
Idiom: cast the first stone (used idiomatically: yes)
Their first reaction to the bomb in Armagh was to toss petrol bombs into houses in a predominantly Catholic estate , endangering the lives of four families . Three of last week 's four murders , carried out with unbelievable brutality , were clearly intended to spread sectarian terror . There is no point in arguing who cast the first stone or threw the first bomb , destroying a church hall or a GAA club . But both communities must recognise the cancerous effect of sectarianism , taken to these extremes . It conjures up the same emotions that have led to the horrors of ‘ ethnic cleansing’ in Bosnia , with rival religious and political groups staking out new dividing lines .
Idiom: lift a finger (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I ca n't see the sense in leaving all the work to you , when I have so much time on my hands.’ ‘ But , if you 'll pardon me , ma'am … it 's what the master pays me for . He partic'ly said I was n't to let you lift a finger about the house.’ She nervously dipped the top half of her body forward in a half - hearted curtsey . ‘ Mr Miller'd skin me alive if he could see you now,’ she said in a pitiful voice .
Idiom: serve someone right (used idiomatically: no)
The B - side is a fair trot through The Monkees ' great ‘ Pleasant Valley Sunday’ , albeit one sung by Gedge as though constipated . MEDALARK II : Snake Named , naturally , after Meadowlark Lemon who , if memory serves me right , was the ‘ zany’ one in the Harlem Globetrotters cartoon . Medalark II are neither yer average Creation band nor yet average Manc band despite a chirpy sense of rhythm akin to Factory - era James . ‘ Snake’ is an appropriately twisty piece of steel - wire guitar dance music and dead spooky with it and suggests a happier early ACR .
Idiom: under the wire (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Oh , bother!’ exclaimed Mandy . ‘ But I know how to get it back . I can crawl under the wire where it 's broken . I can do it easily.’ ‘ No , you mustn't!’ cried Judy .
Idiom: over the moon (used idiomatically: yes)
He added : ‘ Of course , in an ideal world we should have preferred to have passports for all British nationals in Hong Kong.’ Mr Simon Murray , managing director of Hutchison Whampoa , one of the colony 's largest companies , and chairman of the Honour Hong Kong campaign which represents leading firms , said : ‘ Our reaction is one of welcome , we see this as a good way to restore confidence in Hong Kong . ‘ I 'm not saying we 're over the moon , but it 's a good move.’ He did not explain why the campaign had suddenly reversed its recently declared position that passports would be needed for more than 300,000 key wage - earners in the colony as well as their families . That is six times the number to be offered the right of abode in the government 's package .
Idiom: wide of the mark (used idiomatically: yes)
I am not persuaded either My Lords that the inclusion of nominated members with special skills will add very much to the police authorities decision making , bearing in mind the experience already there , which has been referred to earlier in this debate . Indeed I wonder whether they will have the time to perform all the many tasks taken on by police authority members , including lay - visiting of police cells attending national committees on a number of subjects or local consultative bodies , there 's a whole list of duties and responsibilities which members of police authorities undertake . Certainly the minimum of one - and - a - half days per month envisaged by the Home Office as being all that will be required , it seems to me to be very wide of the mark . I agree with the Lord of Aberdale that it is vital for the elected representatives on the police authority to be clearly seen to be in the driving seat of the committee . It is a view I believe which is held by everyone connected with policing at local level and additionally , the continuation of the tripartite system with its essential checks and balances on the activities of the three parties involved and My Lords that is the real importance and value of the tripartite system that depends on the local authorities being seen to be in the driving seat .
Idiom: round the bend (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ These pointless deaths just do not seem to stop.’ Sharon 's boyfriend Matthew Stanton , 21 , was walking with her just behind the happy , giggling girls at the time of the accident early on Saturday evening . He said : ‘ I was only a few yards away when the car came round the bend and hit the kerb . ‘ It mounted the pavement and hit both of them . They had no chance of avoiding it .
Idiom: as a rule (used idiomatically: yes)
In the Christian communities , discussions on personal relations between both men and women placed emphasis on the need to make men more responsible for their families and take an equal part in domestic work . As Christians we believe in freedom and equality between the sexes . Men as a rule are very selfish and still believe that women are born to serve them . They are terribly irresponsible and spend all their free time drinking with their friends . And women are as likely as not to be left to fend for themselves , living crowded into one room with all the children and having to work all night sewing or cleaning to make ends meet .
Idiom: for the time being (used idiomatically: yes)
We are only interested in the tramways operated by the London County Council , Croydon Corporation and the South Metropolitan Company . In the case of Croydon Corporation , on the night of 30 June , a fresh coat of grey paint was applied covering the gold title ‘ Croydon Corporation Tramways’ and a small red label inscribed ‘ London Passenger Transport Board , 55 Broadway , Westminster S.W.I.’covered the name of the Manager . The municipal coat of arms and fleet numbers remained for the time being . The South Metropolitan cars carried similar labels , but black on while . Otherwise , as the Company was already part of the group , it was not thought necessary to signify the change of ownership , in any other way .
Idiom: roll up your sleeves (used idiomatically: no)
Pat ~ Schroeder said that you ca n't wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time .
Idiom: jack of all trades (used idiomatically: yes)
The Law Society , representing solicitors , hailed the bill as ' a modern statutory foundation for the legal profession of the future , in which outdated restrictions will have no part ' . Mr David Ward , the society 's president , said it would mean ' an end to unnecessary double - manning ' . But Mr Desmond Fennell , QC , chairman of the Bar , claimed there was a danger that many people needing legal help would have access only to a ' more expensive Jack of all trades , ' while specialist skills were reserved for the privileged few . Rules to be drawn up by the Law Society for solicitor advocates will need approval by four senior judges , all former barristers . But the bill sets out a tight framework which will limit the judges ' scope for blocking extra advocacy rights for solicitors .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
And such an amusing hat.’ ‘ It 's considered very fetching.’ ‘ But your — I 'm so bad at names and quite at sea about your relationship — She … told me you were in the Brigade.’ ‘ I thought he was . Come on Charles , we must rush.’
Idiom: all and sundry (used idiomatically: yes)
We were placed near the dais on d'Aubigny 's right ; the conversation , the strange accents and oaths washed around us like water . Agrippa did the talking for us , I ate as if there was no tomorrow whilst Benjamin seemed fascinated by someone further down the hall . After the banquet an Italian performed a subtle and cunning rope trick , then a troupe of girls danced a vigorous whirling jig which left the faces of the spectators , as well as theirs , red with excitement as they kicked their legs high and let their skirts go up , revealing to all and sundry what lay beneath . I noticed there were no other women present and later learnt this was the Scottish custom . Not that they treat their women badly — rather both sexes go their own way , the ladies of the nobility preferring to take their refreshment by themselves in another chamber .
Idiom: over the hill (used idiomatically: yes)
A. 6 a.m. , before dawn on a dark morning in 1910 . Thousands of miners are leaving their small terraced houses and tramping down the street to one or another of the 20 coal mines in the Rhondda valleys . Over the hill in the next valley , and the next and the next , the same is happening . Each mine employed 200–300 workers . The mine owners filled the bottoms of the valleys with rows of terraced houses , mine buildings , railways , roads and canals .
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: no)
CREATING THE SPACE You have to be keen to climb in the rain , but Andy Fanshawe 's just that , as Ed Douglas discovers ON THE ROCK ' I think it 's stopping . ' A disconsolate group of climbers sitting round a kitchen table all lean forward and peer out at the iron - grey clouds rumbling past .
Idiom: all the rage (used idiomatically: yes)
So poaching and over - utilisation of the forests and conservation areas began in earnest . There is money to be made from ivory worth an average family 's income for years at the risk of six months in gaol at no expense to you . Rhino horn as a homeopathic rheumatism cure is all the rage in the East ( and some nearer to us here like to use it for adornment as dagger handles ) and the cost of collecting this cure was infinitesimal compared to the poacher 's gain — so the black and wide - lipped rhino are threatened . Westerners have a bizarre trait of liking pets . Large numbers of tropical and exotic pets , together with tons of plants ( orchids , cacti , and bulbs ) are therefore forcibly removed from their natural environment and shipped daily from around the world to adorn the homes and egos of those with money .
Idiom: come to think of it (used idiomatically: yes)
He would probably slip in at the last minute , just as a matter of duty . We should have taken a taxi , thought Mrs Grandison unhappily as she and Lady Selvedge , jostled by crowds , hurried down the passage leading to the northbound Bakerloo trains . She should have insisted , have pretended that Sophia 's part of London was inaccessible by public transport , and of course , when one came to think of it , there was quite a long walk from the station . Mrs Grandison 's pointed Italian - style shoes were already beginning to pinch her left foot . Lady Selvedge , she now realised to her surprise , was wearing low - heeled walking shoes , not really quite the thing with her elaborately draped velvet toque but eminently sensible .
Idiom: join the club (used idiomatically: no)
Then , like the story of the King 's New Clothes , the Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens gave the game away . ' I am having difficulty knowing what today 's debate is about , ' he said . Join the club , Geoffrey . Warning on energy TEN coal - fired power stations will close with the loss of 3,000 jobs unless plans to shut 31 pits are reversed , a union leader warned yesterday .
Idiom: spill the beans (used idiomatically: no)
Something about the place is summed up in its smell — the secret life of a space . It challenges the myth that refuges might be safe but they 're squalid . In any one week there could be a dozen or more children spilling their beans , wetting the beds , hoarding old crusts . Like any over - populated , under - capitalised place , it could stink of smoke and shit and sick and sleep . But it does n't , it smells of work , the wiped - up smell of pine and lavender .
Idiom: on the wagon (used idiomatically: yes)
He thought people still enjoyed the simple retelling of the key mysteries of the faith , stories they knew and loved , and seeing a hundred or so Christians joining together in such a project could only commend the Church . There were thirty - two plays in the Wakefield cycle , or Towneley cycle as it was also known when it formed part of the library of Towneley Hall in Burnley . This cycle was revived in 1980 and has appeared at varying intervals since then , with some of the plays being performed on pageant wagons outside the cathedral . But for the 1988 centenary celebrations of the city of Wakefield , a new production was performed in the grounds of Pontefract Castle . Graham Devlin , the professional director of an amateur cast , wanted to produce something very different from the production at St Mary 's Abbey in York .
Idiom: get the picture (used idiomatically: yes)
I get bored with watching them after a bit , so I go in the shop and have a look at their books . The shop ai n't got no proper doors — it 's just like part of the station so you can walk in and out without using a door . Normally I like looking through books — you know , if they got nice pictures and that in them , but I dunno — I just ai n't very interested at the moment . It 's hard to concentrate on a book with all these people around . The shop 's pretty crowded — I spect people are buying stuff for Christmas , so I just stand around watching them .
Idiom: call it a day (used idiomatically: yes)
The former British champion , who lives at Middleton St George , near Darlington , had his femur pinned together after a nasty smash at Cadwell Park last year . Doctors at Darlington 's Memorial Hospital believed the operation to remove the screws would be a fairly straightforward affair . But surgeons were forced to call it a day because they could n't find the right tools for the job . ‘ Apparently none of their allen keys would fit the screws,’ explained Andy , who has ridden at all the world 's top circuits during his 16 year career . ‘ When I came round after the operation I asked the doctors if they would let me have the screws .
Idiom: pull a face (used idiomatically: no)
Is n't she married yet?’ ‘ No ; she 's not married yet ; I think she 's waiting for you.’ Harry pulled a face at his brother now as Ellen put in quickly , ‘ The Hallidays too and their cousins , two young ladies who are staying with them.’ She turned towards Harry now , saying , ‘ The Crosbie sisters?’ When Harry nodded Martin said , ‘ How old are they?’
Idiom: spit it out (used idiomatically: yes)
That 's rather disgusting though I know . putting water in and spitting it out . Did he give him a de de detention or not ? No , he told him to get away .
Idiom: out of line (used idiomatically: yes)
It may be argued that , in 1986 , the Government rejected the idea of abandoning the adjudicatory role of the prison visitors board , which was part of the Prior recommendations , so , as they had gone some way to changing the internal discipline regime , they might reasonably look again at Prior . But we had none of that from the Secretary of State tonight . Instead , we had the bizarre suggestion that prison order was likely to be more easily maintained if , on entering a prison , prisoners were given a little package telling them the consequences of their actions if they stepped out of line . An Act of Parliament is not necessary to do that . I am not averse to packs of information on what happens when someone goes into prison .
Idiom: get it up (used idiomatically: no)
And I get into kinks , coughing Right . to get it up . Right . And it makes me .
Idiom: save face (used idiomatically: yes)
The epic story of how the citizens of Phocaea abandoned their town rather than submit to the Persians is told by Herodotus 1.163 ff . No story conveys a better impression of the unity of the Mediterranean world in the sixth century B.C. Waves of emotion spread from Asia Minor to Spain as soon as a new protagonist — Persia — disturbed the existing equilibrium of friendships , political alliances and commercial interests . As usual , Delphi had to save its face . Having advised the Phocaeans to settle in Corsica , it had to explain why the enterprise had failed . Some of the Phocaeans had been stoned to death by the Etruscans of Caere , traditional philhellenes ; some had to move to Elea in southern Italy .
Idiom: get on someone's wick (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ May,’ said Aunt Bedelia , ‘ I do n't think you should let yourself get worked up like that . You 'll burst a blood vessel if you 're not careful.’ ‘ Well,’ I said , ‘ he gets on my wick at times.’ Eventually Otley came in from the garden rubbing his head . ‘ Are you all right?’ they asked , like people do when somebody 's been knocked down by a bus and lying stretched out in the road .
Idiom: in the long run (used idiomatically: yes)
Jan Rowe says he has nothing against badgers in general and he appreciates that they are not affecting very big areas or all that many farms when viewed nationally . ‘ It seems unfair that a few farmers should have to carry the cost of the consequences of what is after all a national policy . Politically we are on a hiding to nothing in the long run and so I guess the only satisfactory way forward would be to leave badgers completely alone and compensate farmers in full for badger - related losses , including consequential losses.’ But even that approach has drawbacks . Mr Rowe has seen a badger which died of TB .
Idiom: with a will (used idiomatically: yes)
No , that policy you 've got there relates to used vehicles and what I 'm saying this that particular policy can be issued on vehicles above five years and sixty thousand miles . erm Generally , below five years sixty thousand miles , we have policies which give manufacturer 's servicing , and obviously erm the policy holder does have a part to play in doing that . But if I can move on just for a second , erm when you get over and above that , we have problems where people that are purchasing those sort of vehicles can not afford , with the best will in the world , to take them in to the main agents and have a full service , although they should do , but if you ca n't afford to do that and these are the problems that we had , so we actually changed that . Instead of manufacturer 's servicing it 's just an oil change and level check , that 's all it is , every three months , three thousand miles , because bearing in mind that these vehicles will be over five years and sixty thousand miles it 's less onerous to the customer to have that than to be forced into having a manufacturer service which they probably ca n't afford . Yes , but what are you actually going to pay out for , John .
Idiom: on the back of (used idiomatically: no)
I went with Father or my brother Jack at first , but later I took the horse and cart up myself . If I went with Jack , I got out of the cart at the steep climb out of the valley and walked up a grassy path to avoid the loop of the ascending road along which jack led the horse and cart . Once we were on the fairly flat back of the hill , I clambered back into the cart and we were away past the farms , Y Llechwen , Y Garth Fawr , Y Garth Fach through winding lanes bordered by low stone walls . Farther beyond Llechwan was a farm kept by Mr Miles . On an early visit there , my father stopped to call on his old friend and he left my younger brother Roy and me in the trap .