Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: by the book (used idiomatically: yes)
More still needs to be learned about politics " out - of - doors " for the reigns of William and Anne ; in particular , we need to find out more about the ways local and national issues interacted in specific localities , and we are still in the process of discovering about the dynamics of electoral politics . It is clear , however , that political historians can not afford to confine their attention to the goings - on at Westminster or St James 's , and that the history of party under the later Stuarts is as much about the divisions that emerged in society at large as it is about what happened in Parliament or at the royal Court . Not only did the existence of a divided society help fuel party tensions under William and Anne , but taking the longer perspective covered by this book as a whole , it might even be fair to suggest that the emergence of the party divide amongst the political elite was itself a symptom of the bitter divisions that already existed in this society , divisions which we have traced back to the Restoration in 1660 . A wide range of factors shaped how people aligned themselves politically — from personal considerations or considerations of economic self - interest through to political or religious conviction — and the way these factors interrelated could differ over time to produce shifting patterns of popular allegiance . One theme that has emerged throughout this book , however , and which has been reinforced by the analysis presented in this chapter , is the importance of religion in determining people 's political identity .
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I know what I said — that was pride talking,’ he explained with a wry grin that successfully squashed her temper . ‘ I then wrote to Gwen , inviting myself to stay for a few weeks . I thought in my ignorance that Lorcomb would be just down the road from Norwich ; when I discovered that it was an hour 's drive I persuaded the colonel to rent me his house.’ ‘ Just like that?’ she asked in astonishment . ‘ You knocked on his door and asked him?’
Idiom: out of the picture (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Far from constituting ransom to achieve the freedom of American hostages,’ North assured Livingstone over the cooling coffee , ‘ the military goods provided Iran were part of a rapprochement process designed to deliver Iran from the clutches of the Soviet Union and to block the Soviet drive to the Persian Gulf.’ Nothing much there about hostages at all . Indeed , to the straight Grand Planners ( of which North was not one ) , hostages were better left out of the picture entirely . Ledeen always thought it self - evident that America should re - open contacts with Iran ; it could profit from the political fissures there , and could perhaps exploit the chaos that would undoubtedly follow the end of the Ayatollah 's rule . What he could not understand , he said , was how this idea got so muddled up with hostages and the necessity to sell arms .
Idiom: round the clock (used idiomatically: yes)
Breakfast time TV and Channel 4 doubled them again , so that by the late 1980s each network was putting out 200 hours a week . Viewers thus went from a choice of less than 30 hours a week in 1946 to more than 400 in the late 1980s . By 1990 you could watch TV round the clock . The programme categories in Tables 6.7 and 6.8 reflect the broadcasters ' need to demonstrate that they were ‘ informing , educating and entertaining’ . The tables give an idea also of the kind of programming that was practical in the early days .
Idiom: at the crossroads (used idiomatically: yes)
For the trio to collect two gold medals and one silver was an unprecedented Scottish haul on the world stage which can only augur well for the highlight of this year 's outdoor season — the World Athletics Championships in Stuttgart . All Scottish sportsmen and women tend to produce their best when least is expected of them . Murray and McKean were written off in many quarters after the disappointment of Barcelona — Murray finished eighth after starting favourite , McKean failed to reach the final — and the pair went to Toronto with their careers at the crossroads . In the event , both athletes discovered their best form , running from the front with assurance and power and putting the old failures behind them . Murray was first to triumph on Saturday night , hitting the accelerator at the 1,000 m mark and leaving the rest of the field for dead .
Idiom: back to the drawing board (used idiomatically: yes)
Now the democratic dimension to that cohesion is to be lost.’ ‘ There is no intrinsic reason for another reorganisation so soon after the last , and there is certainly no popular demand for it . The present system may not be perfect but it has worked pretty well and would be capable of improvement and adjustment without the need to go back to the drawing board.’ ‘ They ( the reforms ) have been cobbled together too quickly and with too little attention paid to genuine consultation , too little attempt to build the necessary consensus.’ ‘ The dismantling of compact and efficient local government units such as Central and Lothian deserves all the criticism it will receive .
Idiom: ten a penny (used idiomatically: no)
Oh heck erm under the er She said heck , she 's got a swear box in our house I put ten pence in the other day Under the er old gate bridge Yeah
Idiom: safe as houses (used idiomatically: yes)
She 'd learned that many Glasgow pubs were far from desirable . ' Oh aye ! Safe as houses . Anyway , they 'd never bother a couple ' A couple !
Idiom: hold water (used idiomatically: no)
Provided the stress on the web is applied gradually — as here , with tiny droplets slowly filling the sheet — a surprising amount of water can be retained . Spider silk is made from proteins , and is nearly as strong as nylon , though it can be stretched twice as far as the man - made material . Threads of spider silk are between 0.01 and 2 microns thick , depending on the spider making them and the purpose for which they are intended — the gossamer sheets of Textrix employ some of the finest and are probably the only webs that could hold water . The only reason spider silk is not produced commercially is the difficulty of housing and maintaining the spiders — it 's far easier to keep silk moth caterpillars . DICK JONES —(arachnologist )
Idiom: on someone's mind (used idiomatically: no)
‘ Yes … ’ Dawson shrugged . ‘ He 's got one or two things on his mind just at the moment.’ ‘ Do n't be arch with me , Mike . I know what 's going on .
Idiom: on the carpet (used idiomatically: yes)
Wall - mount your phone to save it from being kicked or left off the hook . Consider spraying your carpets with stain - retardant which coats the fibres and makes them more resistant to dirt and spills . Liquids lie on protected carpets rather than soak in , so spills can be blotted up quite easily . Flecked carpets and sponged walls hide the dirt better than plain colours . Seats with washable loose covers are best for homes with young kids .
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: no)
Yet the Bahia Paraiso tragedy seemed of little consequence compared with the disaster which occurred in northern polar waters only weeks later . The 350 metre ( 1140-foot ) supertanker Exxon Valdez left the Alaskan oil terminal port of Valdez on the night of 24 March , loaded with 230 million litres ( 61 million US gal ) of crude oil . Within an hour and a half , the Exxon Valdez had eluded the coastguard radar tracking system and plunged at full speed on to the rocks of Bligh Reef , rupturing eight cargo holds , each big enough to house a 15-storey building . The environmental consequences of the accident , which oil companies described during legal hearings in the 1970s as a ‘ one in a million' ’ possibility , have been catastrophic . Hundreds of kilometers of coastline were covered with a thick layer of oil 15–20 cm ( 6–8 inches ) thick , with a mousse-like consistency .
Idiom: for the time being (used idiomatically: yes)
Paul Wilenius PREMIER John Major is to humiliate his chancellor by taking effective control of the Spring Budget . Embattled Norman Lamont will hang on to his job , at least for the time being . Mr Major has let it be known privately that the chancellor will not be moved in the New Year reshuffle . He will keep his title — but lose the power .
Idiom: fall short (used idiomatically: yes)
When we first drank claret we heard it called by that name , we were eating such and such a dinner etc . Next time we drink it , a dim reminder of all these things chimes through us as we get a taste of the wine . When we try burgundy our first impression is that is it a kind of claret ; but something falls short of full identification and presently we hear it called burgundy . During the next few experiences the discrimination may still be uncertain —‘which’ , we ask ourselves , ‘ of the two wines is this present specimen?’ But , at last the claret - flavor recalls pretty distinctly its own name , ‘ claret’ , ‘ that wine I drank at so - and - so 's table’ , etc . ; and the burgundy - flavor recalls the name ‘ burgundy’ and someone else 's table ...
Idiom: easier said than done (used idiomatically: yes)
I see what you mean . It just goes to show . That 's easier said than done . I do n't know and I do n't care . It 's easy to talk .
Idiom: the bee's knees (used idiomatically: yes)
I knew what was coming . ‘ Who ? I thought your mate Rabbit was the bee 's knees . By the way , did he get off with that drummer Richard last week?’ Ken picks up street talk like Sunday newspaper diarists pick up gossip , late and usually third - hand .
Idiom: rough and tumble (used idiomatically: yes)
That was why it began with rejoicing , and one can regret that it did not become known by its opening words : Gaudet Mater Ecclesia ( Mother Church rejoices ) . The Church rejoiced in its ‘ unity in diversity’ manifested in the various rites that witnessed to the richness of ‘ catholicity’(so often reduced to bland uniformity ) . This would have to be remembered in the rough and tumble of debate . Second , John wanted the Council to share in his optimism about the presence of the Holy Spirit in the modern world . He denounced the ‘ prophets of misfortune’ who see in the modern world ‘ nothing but betrayal and ruination .
Idiom: in the flesh (used idiomatically: yes)
She tried to push him away , but she might just as well have tried to move the Campanile . She wanted to resist , she would resist , she told herself fiercely . But the chemistry that governed sexual attraction had its source in the mind as much as in the flesh , and all too soon her mind betrayed her . He picked it up at once . ‘ Do you want me to make love to you , Luce?’
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: yes)
' Odd , is n't it ? Come on ! ' There was a noise high above them , like a strip of leather being slapped on a wet rock . Something glassy and indistinct passed over Rincewind 's head , throwing up a cloud of ashes from the fire , and the pig carcass took off from the spit and rocketed into the sky . It banked to avoid a clump of trees , righted itself , roared around in a tight circle , and headed hubwards leaving a trail of hot pork - fat droplets .
Idiom: back to the drawing board (used idiomatically: yes)
Fortunately for Edinburgh we destroyed only part of the Royal Mile . In attempting to repair it however , we seem to be in danger of fixing the wrong thing . The final message for the politicians and consultants ought to be ‘ back to the drawing board’ . Stepping on the gas FACED with the need for a quick method of raising revenue , the Chancellor must have been tempted to look closely at the energy sector in finalising plans for tomorrow 's Budget .
Idiom: break new ground (used idiomatically: yes)
We went through to see a couple of remarkable rock formations , the Trident and the Judge — no prizes for guessing where they got their names . It was these incredible , unique sights in the cave which made me enjoy my trip so much , though everyone gets different things from the sport . For Tony it 's the physical challenge , the idea of breaking new ground and of working out how to get around seemingly impenetrable barriers . We followed a stream up Salubrious Passage before squeezing ourselves through a small twisting passage to bring us back above ground . We were n't enclosed long enough for it to become worrying and I got a real adrenaline rush when at one point one side of the passage was replaced by empty space leading to a huge open chamber .
Idiom: look on the bright side (used idiomatically: yes)
For the next four years her relatives reportedly tried to find a country that would receive her body for burial , but were turned away until they reached Peru . Carlos Castro , head of Pisco 's main hospital , said pregnant women fear the vampire will reincarnate in their babies . Looking on the bright side , Mayor Edgar Nunez said tourism had jumped by 60pc . Protest over job fears DAVID Hunt was lobbied by trade unionists yesterday when he visited offices where they claim 1,000 jobs are under threat .
Idiom: get a grip (used idiomatically: no)
The hose was where I 'd left it last summer , not neatly stored but tangled in a corner , its untidy coils covering a rake , a batch of canes and a pair of long - handled shears . I picked up the nearest coil and began to gather it up , but whereas in the summer heat the pipe had been soft and flexible , it now had the consistency of a steel cable and was like trying to lift a bedframe designed by Salvador Dali . Stepping forward to get a firmer grip , I trod on the rake whose handle leapt up , giving me a nasty crack on the brow and a making me stagger , knocking a bottle of systemic insecticide on to the floor , where it shattered and spread a nauseating puddle at my feet . I would have kept my presence of mind if the mouse , disturbed by all the commotion , had n't actually jumped into my welly . Instead , I ran screaming like a banshee into the garden engulfed in coils of stiffened pipe and looking like some mythical figure being consumed by a serpent .
Idiom: in spades (used idiomatically: no)
Figure 14 . ( a ) Half fill the slit trench for your cuttings with sand . ( b ) With the cuttings in position in the sand , dig another slit 3 inches ( 7.5 cm ) away , take out the soil and firm it against the cuttings . In a partially shaded part of the garden , not overhung by trees , shrubs or other plants that can lead to rain drip and where air movement will not be impeded and so encourage fungal attack , make a slit trench by driving in the spade full depth with the blade held vertically , and forcing open a narrow V - shaped slit , as shown in Figure 14 . If there had been no rain and the soil become dry , we used to prepare these slit trenches the day before and fill them with water from a can , but carefully , so as not to wash the soil back into them . Sprinkle sharp sand along the slit — enough to fill in the bottom 4–5 inches ( 10–12 cm ) or so .
Idiom: night and day (used idiomatically: no)
The mill was built in 1771 by Richard Arkwright ( q.v . ) , at a time when growing discontent among textile workers was emerging as a threat to machinery , and the austere — not to say grim — building looks like a fortress , though the original mill has been much altered and extended . We are told that there were two hundred employees , ‘ chiefly children . They work in turns , night and day.’ The mill 's water power came from the Bonsall Brook and a ‘ sough’— the stream of an adit made for draining lead mines . Arkwright also built many of the three - storey stone houses in the village for his workers , as well as the church , school and his own home , Willersley Castle , known locally as Arkwright Hall .
Idiom: down the road (used idiomatically: yes)
And the gap was n't really big enough , do you know what I mean ? Yeah . It would off been o okay if I just been able to pull out and drive down the road Yeah . because I had to pull out round the stationery vehicle as well , I would off taken too long getting out
Idiom: put words in someone's mouth (used idiomatically: yes)
One has Remembrance Parades , I do n't think there 'll be anything gung ho about this . And if I might just come in on this thing that 's always thrown up against Mrs. Thatcher about her rejoice , she said rejoice when South Georgia had been retaken and the rejoice was because it appeared to have been done without any casualties — that was what she was rejoicing for , not the victory erm Well I would n't want to put words in Mrs. Thatcher 's mouth , now if you 're man enough to do that go ahead . . No that , that , that , this is erm this irritates me .
Idiom: break even (used idiomatically: yes)
14 . Not all control information is expressed in statements and computer printouts . Some useful information can be made available in chart form , such as a ‘ break - even chart’ . This is a chart which shows how costs and profits vary with the volume of production . The name is taken from the point on the chart where the total costs line crosses the sales revenue line ie at the point where neither a loss nor a profit is being made .
Idiom: on the house (used idiomatically: no)
First , there is a concern to limit prime ministerial patronage in a number of areas ( and the concern to abolish the House of Lords is in part born of a desire to deny the Prime Minister the constitutional right to create peers ) . Second , instead of continuing with the constitutional convention whereby the Prime Minister has the right to choose a government and a Cabinet , there is a concern to transfer this to Members of Parliament when Labour is in office , giving them the right to elect Cabinet ministers . 5 The proposed abolition of the House of Lords , and the concern to limit the powers of the Prime Minister , the government , and the civil service , would place a greater burden on the House of Commons . In order to enable that chamber to adequately fulfil its main function of scrutinising legislation , over - seeing the executive , and representing the electorate in the national forum of debate , a number of changes in the procedure of the House of Commons are part of the Labour Party package for constitutional reconstruction . They propose an improved procedure for the handling of bills ; making legislation easier to follow ; and , of course , the cry for improvements in the present Select Committee system .
Idiom: in the black (used idiomatically: yes)
A man dressed in black and white is dropping the tennis racket and is waiting for the ball
Idiom: doom and gloom (used idiomatically: yes)
Paperback preview 1993 Sarah Broadbent looks at this year 's most promising titles — the giants , the high - flyers , the major titles and the ones to watch , the literary titles , fiction and non - fiction . Despite the depressed economy she still finds little real evidence of publishers pruning their lists and , as a consequence , there are ‘ too many major titles to be able to do justice to them all’ With the depressed economy and appalling trade figures ( improved a little , one hopes , by a healthy Christmas ) , I was expecting doom and gloom as I did my recent rounds of the publishing houses . There were indeed some who shook their heads and moaned , but on the whole buoyancy , bullishness and general enthusiasm hit me from all sides . It made me forget for a moment how low sales figures so often are nowadays , as there are some exciting campaigns planned , some clever gimmicks , some expensive promotions and , more important , some wonderful books .
Idiom: to the bone (used idiomatically: no)
Moreover , it seems that their motivation to perform behaviour such as wing flapping and wing stretching actually increases during confinement in a battery cage . When birds are released from cages , they flap and stretch at a very high rate , suggesting that they are compensating for their earlier restriction . There is also little doubt that the lack of opportunity to exercise in a cage is a major factor contributing to the weak and brittle bones of the typical battery hen . The Farm Animal Welfare Council , an independent body set up to advise the Ministry of Agriculture , suggested that 600 square centimetres should be adopted as a minimum allowance in Europe . This has yet to be approved but , even so , it is unlikely to be the end of the argument .
Idiom: when push comes to shove (used idiomatically: yes)
He has selected bad squads , putting continuity before form … the Waddle Factor . He has be- mused with some of his tactical ploys . When push has come to shove , his teams have simply not been good enough . The public perception of his players is not of a group of national heroes , battling to turn the tide and restore pride . It 's of a bunch of undertalented and over paid money grabbers who are motivated more by agents than managers .
Idiom: on the cards (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ I 'm relieved to have got a run into Mukddaam,’ Hern said . ‘ But I 'll have to see how he comes out of the race before deciding if he 'll race again this season.’ Steve Cauthen , who rode Balla Cove , had earlier taken the other feature race on the card , the Godolphin Stakes , on Spritsail — a victory that should have been the subject of a stewards ' inquiry . Spritsail had started odds - on for a race at Ascot a week ago , but trailed in a well - beaten last of four behind Tralos . Yesterday he was favourite again at 2 - 1 and won impressively .
Idiom: on the trot (used idiomatically: yes)
Right cos they 're static models , alright , there 's no uncertainty there . When we include uncertainty , er , we ought to acknowledge that farmers may behave not as profit , profit maximizers erm , but as profit satisfiers , and that 's reflected in their , in their risk - aversion . Right , now if they 're acting rationally , right simply because you have a zero income of say two years on the trot , you may just well be driven out of business , if you 're er , a farmer in the developed , developing world you may er , possibly thrown off the land , or you may even starve . Alright , so farmers like to er , reduce erm , variability of their , of their income . Right .
Idiom: as a rule (used idiomatically: yes)
Paul went upstairs to change his coat , and Nathan looked about for Mrs Gracie to ask if he might go to visit Dinah . But there was no sign of that discreet lady , and in the end he went and knocked on Dinah 's door , received no answer , turned the handle , and found neither her nor the baby inside . Puzzled , he wondered if she had gone upstairs to her children , which she did not do as a rule , and was about to ascend ; when from up there came a great cry , and the sound of a fall from the window . Nathan rushed outside at once , Paul lay on the ground , quite still . He was not dead .
Idiom: on someone's mind (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Yes , and we know what sort of friend , do n't we ? Oh , I can read the signs as well as anyone,’ Dora went on in a sudden surge of indignation as Melissa 's eyebrows lifted . ‘ If you ask me , that story about Gebrec having something on his mind was just a cover - up . There 's more to this than meets the eye.’ ‘ Whatever do you mean ?
Idiom: betwixt and between (used idiomatically: yes)
If a " person - to - person relationship " is made to carry too great a " flow of power " from the dominant to the subordinate position the connection between the two parties is likely to break up in violence . And much the same is true of the ideological relationships which link human beings to metaphysical powers . The betwixt and between area of liminality which Turner discusses , in which social differences between individuals tend to be forgotten in a shared feeling of communitas , as among the participants in a pilgrimage , is the interface between human beings and " spiritual beings " . It is a position of danger where miracles of healing may occur but miracles of disaster also . Cynics of course would hold that the power potential and the danger that exists at the interface of the physical and the metaphysical exists only in the human imagination .