Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: fall from grace (used idiomatically: yes)
Since the objective for the project is to advance the understanding of flat roofing performance and maintenance , and to develop improved specification and quality assurance criteria for roofing systems , BFRC will disseminate the results of the research to the whole of the construction industry . The results of the project will provide the objective criteria to enable the British flat roofing industry to compete more effectively within the European Community . In the past the fall from grace of the flat roof was due to series of problems : inappropriate combinations of waterproofing material , insulation and decking ; low durability waterproofing materials ; poor design and detailing ; and low quality installation . Thankfully , major advances in the industry have been made , and this has led to placing emphasis on the fundamental elements that are essential for a successful roof , namely : good design , quality materials and regular maintenance . Prevention is invariably more satisfactory than cure ( although flat roof refurbishment rather than replacement is now a totally viable concept ) and pioneering this educational crusade has become paramount with BFRC .
Idiom: in no uncertain terms (used idiomatically: yes)
But I do n't always seem to be fully in control of myself when you 're around.’ She was n't at all sure she liked the sound of that . She was about to say so , in no uncertain terms , but stopped herself at the last moment . This might be one of those times when it was far better to say nothing ! The car purred smoothly on along a narrow lane lined with trees .
Idiom: drop a brick (used idiomatically: yes)
But one that we have created by attributing a secret and higher purpose to a tragic event . God is not – puppeteer who controls us , otherwise a great deal of moral purpose would vanish from life , nor is the apprenticeship of suffering something which is willed upon us . If the universe was created with bricks and mortar and free - will , then someone somewhere is bound to drop a free - falling brick on someone else 's toe . And there will be fatal accidents and disease . And although it may smack of determinism , there will be certain laws that if a brick or apple is dropped , they will fall to the ground , the latter getting bruised .
Idiom: every nook and cranny (used idiomatically: yes)
Just for one interview , dammit . Like other fellow scribblers whose squiggles seriously abuse the very title ‘ shorthand notebook’ , I have nevertheless been generously given hours , sometimes even days , by sportsmen happy enough to rabbit on without so much as a penny piece being mentioned . Start with the beginning of this decade if you like , when the one and only Muhammad Ali personally escorted me round every nook and cranny of his Deer Lake log - cabin home . Not the slightest mention of money , either , for an interview in depth from , offhand , Gavaskar , Richards , Botham , Willis , Marshall , McEnroe , Connors or Borg — though the latter , I must admit , was expecting me to stay the day , yet by elevenses we agreed there was not much more to say to each other except ‘ My game 's in pretty good shape’ . Did Nicklaus ask for £ 1,500 for a chat ?
Idiom: go overboard (used idiomatically: yes)
In the 63rd minute , therefore , Robertson was introduced up front at the expense of a defender , McPherson , as Scotland made a belated attempt to improve on what had gone before . The substitute had been on the field for only three minutes when McCoist got his second goal of the evening , made for him by another purposeful run and pass by Jess . McCoist 's effort put a better complexion on the night for Scotland though without enabling anyone to go overboard about their prospects in World Cup qualifying Group I. Nevertheless , it was no more than Scotland deserved for perseverance , and a fitting punishment for the obstinate Maltese when Nevin squeezed in a third goal in the 85th minute to ensure Scotland 's opening victory of this World Cup campaign . Boost for Chalmers on and off the field
Idiom: over the top (used idiomatically: yes)
Avoiding things e.g. if you are drinking too much / avoiding sex Over - sharing e.g. having exactly the same views as your partner or parents about things Going over the top e.g. screaming at the kids over something minor Making excuses e.g. excusing yourself for shouting at the babysitter — after all she was three minutes late Living in dreams e.g. having to be fancied by every man around
Idiom: buy time (used idiomatically: no)
To acquire that level of skill requires talent , total dedication , application , huge amounts of training and an unfailing belief in yourself . There can be no doubt that it takes gruellingly hard work to reach the top echelon in aerobatics , and each member of the British Aerobatic Team ' 92 has more than adequately demonstrated their worth . Money may be able to buy flying time , but it can not buy skill — and it most certainly can not guarantee success in an aerobatic championship . True , a state - of - the - art aerobatic machine is expensive , but if we are to represent our county at major championships in a competitive manner then it is required of to run competitive machines . It is well proven that the stronger the team , the stronger the back - up and support system , the stronger are the chances of success — and you ca n't have all this without financial support .
Idiom: on the trot (used idiomatically: yes)
Any body heard any good scum jokes lately ? ? Another draw for the scum last night . They may well crack altogether if Blackburn could win 3 or 4 games on the trot . If the whites can only hold their form , this may allow us to sneak up on the blind side and pip them both at the death . ‘ Sweet dreams are made of this ’ ! !
Idiom: play for time (used idiomatically: yes)
Back inside , Rafiq had gone back to the thousand - dollar question . ‘ What will he do when he returns?’ he shouted . Perhaps , thought Robert , he had simply been playing for time and had now come up with a credible answer . ‘ What will he do when he returns?’ yelled the crowd . It had better be good , thought Robert .
Idiom: face to face (used idiomatically: no)
The telephone as an instrument of communication between people is being used more and more . Some of the reasons for this are : Telephoning is often more convenient than travelling to meet people face - to - face . Telephoning saves time , both because telephone conversations tend to be shorter than face - to - face conversations and because it is not necessary to spend time travelling . Telephoning is cheaper than face - to - face meeting , mainly because of savings on travelling expenses .
Idiom: without fail (used idiomatically: yes)
If , say , fruit farming is your line it will be of interest to the Fruit Trades Journal when you discover a new strain of extra juicy apple . But much more important is to think of other trade magazines which might use your information and bring in some customers at the same time . For example , your press pack on the new juicy apple should without fail find its way to the offices of The Grocer . Western Division wins the George Wood Cup No - one should begrudge the win because , as holder of the cup , Western have not had the benefit of actually holding it !
Idiom: foot the bill (used idiomatically: yes)
This is fair enough , but do check before you buy . Many companies offer a 30-day money back guarantee . This is fine , but clarify whether it 's you or the manufacturer that has to foot the bill for sending the machine back . And is there any other small print ? One final point — sometimes you have to return a card to the manufacturer before the warranty becomes valid .
Idiom: rub shoulders (used idiomatically: yes)
I have a good ear and pick things up quickly.’ The Antidote is a refreshingly forward - looking album which captures the dynamism and populism of contemporary British jazz . Diverse elements that owe much to the jazz - rap of groups like A Tribe Called Quest rub shoulders with the jazz guitar sound pioneered by West Montgomery and Grant Green . ‘ What I 'm trying to do’ , says Jordan , ‘ is to introduce the jazz guitar to a younger audience . What I like about jazz guitar is that it 's so true .
Idiom: cut the mustard (used idiomatically: yes)
Everyone had the World Cup on their lips , the advertising ratings were very healthy — even if the structure of a team which had been too long in the comfort - zone was less than robust . The All Blacks worked their way past England in the opening match , but with so many flaws their following matches against Italy and the United States , and then the quarter - final against Canada , were invested with extraordinary importance . These matches were required to show whether the All Blacks tight five were still able to cut the mustard , whether the loose forwards could combine , whether New Zealand could put together a backline attack without having Joe Stanley as the lynch - pin . And all this with made - over wings at fullback . Heavens above .
Idiom: touch and go (used idiomatically: yes)
The leading group became 16 riders at Alsager , after 30 miles , and then split again on the first big climb of the day 15 miles later . The seven leaders , who also included Banana rider Ben Luckwell , were five minutes clear of the main field and Kovar , who had started the day in 17th place 3mins 8secs down on Lillywhite , looked set to turn the race upside down . At that point Banana manager Keith Lambert instructed Luckwell to drop back and help with the chase and it was touch and go as the next group brought the gap down to three minutes on the finishing circuit at Rotherham . Walsham took the £ 1,000 stage prize from McKay and Norway 's Joergen Pettersen , with the next places going to Andrei Kivilev , of Kazakhstan , and Kovar . The six leaders were timed in 2min 43sec clear of the chasing group , and Lillywhite salvaged his yellow jersey by 25 seconds .
Idiom: tongue in cheek (used idiomatically: yes)
By Mark Simpson Kennedy 's in tune with a hit PETER Kennedy 's tongue - in - cheek shot at his latest creation , ' The Widow or Bust ' , has come off with a bang at the Arts Theatre this week . Regrettably , last night 's audience was a meagre one , but what they got was impressive , to say the least . No one can challenge Peter Kennedy for lack of courage .
Idiom: fill someone's shoes (used idiomatically: yes)
' Lineker scored goals for England for six golden years and he 's not there now and people must accept that . ' There are others being compared to him and that puts pressure on players like Shearer , Wright and Paul Merson because the fans want them to score goals like Lineker did . ' Maybe there will be someone to fill Lineker 's shoes in years to come but at the moment the replacements must be given a chance to do it in their own time . ' Football experts on the task facing the home countries Ben Bacon
Idiom: take the plunge (used idiomatically: no)
SAFE SWIMMING 12 flotation suits Mothers gain peace of mind when kids take the plunge wearing Bami gear . The swimsuits and trunks have attached foam shoulders to help keep kids afloat . For ages two to six , normal price is £ 35 , but we have 12 to give away .
Idiom: turn someone's head (used idiomatically: yes)
She stopped now ; then with a wicked grin on her face she added , ‘ but never from the school to the Folies - Bergère , eh , Grace?’ ‘ You 'd be surprised at that too , Nessy.’ The old lady now moved her shoulder to let George Banks , the butler , take her plate away and hand it to Patrick McCann , who was standing behind him , then to place before her a plate he had taken from the sideboard ; and she , after looking down on it , turned her head up towards him and said , ‘ Iced pudding , Banks ? Oh ! that 's my favourite . You remembered.’
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: yes)
Tom fell heavily and hit his head on a rock , causing life - threatening injuries .
Idiom: see the light (used idiomatically: yes)
Light the Christmas candle and bring in the nativity scene , with perhaps everyone sharing in setting it up . Quietly look at the scene . ‘ When we see the lights at Christmas time we are reminded that Jesus is with us , we are happy for we find new life.’ c. Liturgical Evocation
Idiom: keep someone posted (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ We have n't got that far yet . We 're still pretty much sharpening our pencils.’ ‘ Yes , well , keep me posted.’ ‘ Of course.’ He does n't want Tite intervening .
Idiom: go places (used idiomatically: yes)
Fourth of August so we had to go see . We were belonging to the territorials then . And then we had to go straight away there and we went different places , Northampton , s you know different places in the country like , in England . And and in Wales yeah we forget where we were there . But we went to had a lot of joi jointer then joiners men .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
He fears that the first wind parks at sea are being built in too much of a rush .
Idiom: make ends meet (used idiomatically: yes)
Government forces had constantly to be at hand . Nor was government aid to the landlord restricted to armed assistance . Despite the opportunities opened out from the late eighteenth century by an expanding grain trade , a marked increase in the land available , and a steady rise in labour and money dues extracted from the peasantry , the nobility found it difficult to make ends meet . Through the agency of the Nobles ' Bank established in 1754 , and later the State Loan Bank , the State issued massive loans to sustain them . In 1762 commoners were forbidden to purchase serfs , thereby giving noble industrialists a temporary advantage since hired labour was still scarce .
Idiom: old hat (used idiomatically: yes)
Magazines gave hints on how to m ake pretty collars and cuffs from scraps of unwanted material because we still had to look pretty . And trimmings using beads from broken necklaces , coloured pipe cleaners , sea shells , acorn cob nut and beech nut cups . Following the example of her majesty the queen , old felt hats were remodelled and leftover pieces mounted on cardboard to make buttons , or cut into interesting shapes for trimming belts and handbags knitted or crocheted in dish cloth cotton which was unrationed . Instructions were also given on making pretty matching covers for ones ration book and identity card and gas masks so you had a complete ensemble these are these are the belts and erm wore blouses and dresses again .
Idiom: rock the boat (used idiomatically: yes)
The list from which they are selected is held on a small computer on the second floor of the drab grey Cabinet Office building in Whitehall . The names on its files provide a gazetteer to the map of much of this Unknown Land . The list itself is secret , although it is a fair bet that it contains only a few genuinely brilliant minds , and fewer still who are likely to rock the boat . Although broader than the days when Lord Rothschild described it as populated entirely by men who ‘ are aged fifty - three , live in the South East , have the right accent and belong to the Reform Club’ , it is hardly representative of the population as a whole . For the twenty - three years after 1950 , the list was run by Miss Mary Bruce , a caricature white - haired Whitehall spinster more interested in horses than in people and who scared the pants off all who worked with her .
Idiom: by the by (used idiomatically: yes)
yeah , listen to this though , they 're saying oh its terrible America have got four per cent and we 've got fifteen , America have got four per cent because out of the interest rates comes money for erm , that ca n't be right , something tax mm they say oh tax is too high , I mean Labour want to put it up any way , but by the by , this answered them any way , what they say is oh its too high , erm even the American tax is four per cent , who gives a dam , because the thing is in America what you 're loosing , what you gain in your tax you have to pay out through the nose for health care that 's exactly it you ca n't afford to be ill in America , I tell you what
Idiom: call it a day (used idiomatically: yes)
Bishops have slipped in the last two months following their excellent run around the turn of the year , and Dunn is looking for points to lift his side into the top half of the table . One outgoing player is striker Derek Parker , who made only a couple of appearances after coming from Hyde United . Sole calls it a day RUGBY UNION : David Sole , who led Scotland to the Grand Slam in 1990 , is to retire later this year . The 29-year - old prop , Scotland 's longest serving captain , has decided to make this summer 's tour to Australia his swansong .
Idiom: cut and run (used idiomatically: yes)
It is the general rule that the patient 's own doctor will only be informed of the results of tests if the patient specifically requests it . There are many different people who contribute to the efficient running of a clinic , including nurses , technicians , social workers , contact - tracers , doctors , and , the person who makes the first contact with a patient , the receptionist , whose contribution to the well - running of the department is of particular importance . If it has taken two weeks of nail - biting finally to pluck up courage to visit a clinic , only to be greeted by an unsympathetic or gruff receptionist , who demands details you had not expected to have to give in a loud voice , the temptation to cut and run may be overwhelming . Such an experience is , happily , rare . Although some clinics still refer to their patient by number , most have now adopted the more human approach of calling people by their names .
Idiom: keep on trucking (used idiomatically: yes)
Mm How would the , I would n't have any money from the AVCs either aye , well , just keep , keep on trucking so it 's keep five years
Idiom: in the red (used idiomatically: no)
THE manager of Birmingham 's Bull Ring Shopping centre has banned children from sitting on Santa 's knee , claiming that the gesture could be open to misinterpretation . Quite right , too . For too long this dirty old man in red has been adopting the friendly old buffer guise to get his kicks from young and innocent children . I was never convinced by all that ‘ Would you like to sit on my knee ? ’ nonsense . In a word , Santa , no .
Idiom: jam tomorrow (used idiomatically: yes)
No results , however , are expected for some time ; and in any case , Whitehall expenditure reviews are notorious for failing to deliver anything of significance . There is , therefore , a strong reliance upon economic growth to yield higher tax revenues and a lower social security budget . Mr Lamont forecasts that the economy will be growing at the rate of three per cent per year in 12 months ' time ; he would have carried more conviction , if he had not made the same ‘ jam tomorrow’ forecast a year ago . Many of his proposals are intended to help British industry and in themselves these are welcome . In Suffolk , we are particularly glad that Customs and Excise has at last been persuaded that horse - racing is an industry not a hobby , and that it will adjust its VAT demands accordingly .
Idiom: off the wall (used idiomatically: no)
' I 'm driving already . ' The cab thrashed along the alleyway , mashing dumpsters and scattering bums from central casting . Big sparks sprayed off the brick walls and tyres screamed on the wet pavements . The big black car loomed overhead , its big guns spitting big big bullets . ' Hit the streets , ' cried Rex .
Idiom: green light (used idiomatically: yes)
Mrs Jean Storrow has stepped down as secretary of the Ryedale branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England after 15 years . Green light : Pickering Town Football Club has been given the green light to install floodlights as part of its plan to win promotion to the Premier Division of the Northern Counties League . Today RIPON :
Idiom: smell blood (used idiomatically: yes)
But a humiliating defeat at Bradford last Sunday had the Leeds fans spitting fury in radio phone - ins . And if Leeds lose against Warrington at Headingley tonight it will plunge the club into a full - blown crisis . The sharks will really smell blood . Warrington have the best half - back pairing in the game at the moment in Greg Mackey and Kevin Ellis and are quite capable of twisting the knife . Leeds ca n't make any more excuses about injuries , no matter how cruel they have been .
Idiom: at the crossroads (used idiomatically: yes)
There are sporadic attempts to rehabilitate surfers and integrate them into society , but it never sticks : they belong on the margins , in another dimension where things are unreal , where outrageous and insane are terms of approbation , and all non - surfing humans are ridiculed as hodads . They are sandwich - boards for Oedipal tendencies , eagerly disposing of the father — they reject authority , law , the land — and reverting with fervour to the embrace of the all - mothering sea . You could admire them from a safe distance , but you would n't want to run into one of them on a dark night at the crossroads . Even apparently respectable citizens , family men and pillars of the establishment ( one old - time big - wave rider had been elected to the House of Representatives and was running for Hawaii State Governor ) become teenage rebels again when they wax down their boards . I mentioned the stories I 'd heard about Johnny Boy to Michael Willis .
Idiom: spot on (used idiomatically: no)
Mysterious disease killing Gulf fish A hitherto unknown disease which may be linked to pollution caused by the recent Gulf war is killing large numbers of fish off the coast of Bahrain . Dead fish brought in for examination — mostly grouper and silver bream — were covered with red spots on the stomach , gills and near the tail and dorsal fins . Scientists have suggested that the fish are infected by a bacteria or a fungus , but they do not know what is causing the disease . Although the local fishing waters were not directly by the oil spills , the director of the Bahrain fisheries institute , Jassem Ahmed al - Qaseer , said that the possibility that the deaths were in some way linked to pollution was high .
Idiom: on edge (used idiomatically: yes)
A young black child is standing on the edge of a body ~ of ~ water near some buckets
Idiom: in the black (used idiomatically: yes)
It lies some five miles north of Manchester . When I knew it , in 1941 , I was a newly commissioned , very nervous officer billeted up the road in a cotton - mill - owner 's abandoned mansion on a hillside in a suburb called Ramsbottom ( locally known as Tupsarse because it was at the ‘ end of everything’ ) . From the terrace of the house , grimed with soot and wind , one looked down into a grey , fogged landscape of endless slate - roofed ‘ back - to - backers’ and soaring mills throbbing with trundling looms , glittering with acres of lighted windows ( dark in the black - out after 3.30 in the afternoon ) , and huge chimneys trailing and belching smoke endlessly into the curdled air , which loitered out over the spoiled valleys until , eventually , it was dispersed across the distant moors . Not a very attractive vista . I have known better views from happier terraces .