Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: slip of the tongue (used idiomatically: yes)
Neighbours who will do this service for you should use the back door , where there 's less chance of them being seen going in and out . Careless talk can be disastrous . If you are going away , tell only those who need to know — a slip of the tongue in the street , pub or corner shop could be overheard by the wrong sort . Addresses do n't have to be mentioned , they can easily be looked up in the electoral roll just from a name . If you 're in the phone book , it takes only a couple of rings to confirm your absence before some toe-rag pays an unwelcome visit .
Idiom: up to speed (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Angela 's taking a few days off — she has n't been well,’ he said , easily . ‘ I know she 's been working very hard for you . I 'm up to speed with Huerter , of course , but is your planning application in Leicester all right ? ’ Barton assured him warmly that Angela had done a great job and he was now confident of getting planning permission on the vast site he had wanted . Peter Yeo , who knew him in this over - candid , over - emphatic mood , decided to prod gently .
Idiom: once and for all (used idiomatically: yes)
His idea of a minimum deterrent is to maintain 2,500 warheads . Mr. Allason Will my right hon . Friend once and for all nail the myth of the credible three - boat Trident deterrent ? Will he confirm that all the professional advice that he has received from the Royal Navy is that only four boats absolutely guarantees an effective nuclear deterrent for this country ? Mr. King
Idiom: behind someone's back (used idiomatically: no)
The raindrops against the window sounded like a handful of gravel being hurled at the glass by the strong wind . Rivulets of water coursed down the panes , puddling on the sill . Governor Peter Nicholson watched the rain , hands clasped behind his back , his office lit only by the desk lamp at one corner . He was looking out over the prison courtyard , watching the sheets of rain falling , the brightness of the observation lights along the prison walls reflecting in his eyes . The wall clock ticked somnolently in the silence , each movement of the minute hand magnified by the stillness in the office .
Idiom: in the black (used idiomatically: yes)
They slide sideways , and end up everywhere . You take a fresh white sheet and rewrite them In lighter and larger black . Lighter , and fainter until they float As the air begins to fill them
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
Even in his early days , when I did an end-of-term ‘ report ’ on Andrew at the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth , I learned he was nicknamed ‘ The Great I am ( the Prince ) ’ . AND the Prince was never master of his own household . All too often he was away at sea on naval duties . Sarah complained that in 1990 they only spent 42 nights together — and that was a recipe for trouble . Fergie loves the social status that being married to Andrew brought her .
Idiom: left and right (used idiomatically: yes)
Underhill stopped in front of a lock - up on Dale Street , opened the door and then began carrying out large cardboard cartons which he placed on the hand - cart … Bardely intercepted him before he had gone many yards … Underhill whipped out a jemmy from his pocket and began striking left and right . ‘ We closed with him and the jemmy having been knocked away , he started fighting and kicking . In a struggle on the ground , my raincoat was torn from top to bottom and Bardely exclaimed ‘ He 's biting my little finger off.’
Idiom: under the influence (used idiomatically: no)
Embyronic development is far too elaborate a process to simulate realistically on a small computer . We must represent it by some simplified analogue . We must find a simple picture - drawing rule that the computer can easily obey , and which can then be made to vary under the influence of"genes ' . What drawing rule shall we choose ? Textbooks of computer science often illustrate the power of what they call " recursive " programming with a simple tree - growing procedure .
Idiom: walk the plank (used idiomatically: yes)
Subsequently , both Dean and Balcon had trouble with their respective boards . ATP could always come up with a few money - spinners in its annual output , but the lavish location and studio work on Whom the Gods Love , Dean 's film on the life of Mozart , irritated board chairman Sir Stephen Courtauld , who began to argue that Dean was doing too much stage work , and had alienated George Formby . After the company had declared a loss of £ 96,678 for the year ending June 1937 , Dean was , in his own words , ‘ asked to walk the plank’ . He was to retire altogether from films , declaring himself ‘ tired of knocking my head against a brick wall.’ Although Gaumont - British also declared a loss in 1937 , of £ 98,000 , Balcon 's departure from the company was precipitated by the prospect of Maxwell , a man whose production philosophy he abhorred , taking a stake in the company , and a general sense that he was n't going to be able to continue the same broad - based production policy as before .
Idiom: go all the way (used idiomatically: yes)
Twice a day she swims and sometimes when she 's tired , she wonders why she keeps it up ; but the answer to that is she enjoys it so much . Mick Wakely , Karen ; s coach , says that she is one of the best breastrokers that Britian has produced . She is very tough mentally and determined and should go all the way to a medal . Janet Rake , her mum , says that Karen loves swimming . If she 's ever out of the water , she thinks it is evil .
Idiom: on and off (used idiomatically: yes)
Melancholy , down - on - its - luck South London . ‘ We are nearly home,’ said Finn and Melanie suddenly could not help but sob . Finn put his hand on her knee and said softly : ‘ We , too , have lived here , on and off , since our parents died.’ ‘ Then we are all orphans!’ ‘ In the same boat , yes.’
Idiom: in the driving seat (used idiomatically: yes)
On Monday , we had a distinct and coherent policy with regard to Yugoslavia . Today we have an undistinguished and incoherent policy . If it is inevitable that the over - mighty Hun is to be in the driving seat of European security and defence policies , would it not be more honest and dignified if these matters were decided by a majority vote as we could then at least honestly state our position ? Mr. Hurd I entirely disagree with that .
Idiom: go from strength to strength (used idiomatically: yes)
I can hardly forebear , I 'm sorry for , if it 's er , a bad pun , but er , I can hardly forbear to say that it may be that I , that diocese can do with what one might describe as a dash of the Robin Hood 's , which I think Alan may er , bring to it . So Alan you go with our warm thanks and our very best wishes for a future which I know will be as valuable to the church as it will lead to a gap in our ranks which it will be difficult to fill . Well I also was er , er , a producer then in the B B C and so he and I had some cheerful encounters at that time , since when he has obviously gone from strength to strength . I need not bore you with er , a recital of his many accomplishments , I just would single out one additional one , and that is , his sterling work for the Royal Society of Arts , er , its shorter name , erm , of which he has pioneered really , the development of an activity described as industry matters . Thus to bring to all our attention how much it matters for the encouragement of arts , commerce and trade which er , for manufacturers which is the full title of the Royal Society of Arts .
Idiom: make a go of (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ There used to be . This was a farmhouse once . A trawler - owning ancestor of mine bought the island , apparently convinced he could make a go of farming in a place surround by his beloved sea.’ ‘ Was he Penry , too?’ He stretched his long frame comfortably in the deep leather chair as he explained that the gentleman in question was his mother 's grandfather , a roistering old sea - dog by the name of Joshua Probert , more inclined to raising Cain than crops .
Idiom: sticky fingers (used idiomatically: yes)
So much for the glamorous , stylish Leo woman ! she thought glumly , remembering Carole Meadows ' words . In fact , she could only be profoundly grateful that none of her business colleagues or any of her smart friends back in London was able to see her looking so awful . Glancing despairingly down at what — only a few hours ago — had been a crisp , smart cotton dress in her favourite shade of sapphire - blue , but which was now crumpled and covered with sticky finger - marks , she gave a heavy sigh . Vanity was a sin , of course , and she knew that her appearance was completely irrelevant when compared to the importance of caring for Liz 's two little girls . But why had nobody ever told her that it was quite impossible to keep clean whenever there were any children about ?
Idiom: on board (used idiomatically: no)
I knew the Maggot was dying to hear the senator 's business , but even the Maggot had enough delicacy to wait until we had safely delivered the senator to Nassau before asking . But once Crowninshield was gone , and when we had refuelled the Beechcraft and put a crate of beer on to one of her back seats , the Maggot demanded to know everything . I suspected that he was hoping to hear that the senator had been arranging for an illicit love affair on board Wavebreaker . We had embarked two such affairs in the last year ; the most memorable being an English lawyer who had arrived with his French mistress , but only after telling his wife that he was attending a legal conference in Brussels and , to preserve the lie , he had been forced to hide every inch of his pallid skin in case a sun - tan betrayed him . The French girl , to Thessy 's infinite embarrassment , had strolled stark naked about Wavebreaker 's deck while the lawyer had cowered in the stateroom cloaked like an Ayatollah with impetigo .
Idiom: see the light (used idiomatically: yes)
By TIM JEFFERY BILL KOCH 'S personal and business life is the stuff of a page - turning book and a movie , so it is fortunate that he has had the foresight to bring his own biographer and film maker into his campaign to defend the America 's Cup for his country . Whether the book or film ever see the light of day depends on whether he is successful . In an event which has always been enriched by its personalities — from Lipton , through Sopwith , Vanderbilt , Bich , Bond and de Savary , to Fay — the 52-year - old billionaire , born in Kansas , is the persona of the 1992 Cup , eclipsing even Dennis Conner — the most successful Cup skipper in modern times — in his home town . But who is the real Bill Koch ?
Idiom: small print (used idiomatically: yes)
I am understudying George Birkitt , who , when I last saw him , was looking as fit as a flea.’ ‘ Charles , this is an emergency ! It 's not the time to argue about the small print of your contract . I 'll sort out the extra money with your agent.’ ‘ That is not what I 'm arguing about .
Idiom: break even (used idiomatically: yes)
It was only during the 1980s that it was finally laid to rest , enabling BR to run a fully modernised and streamlined freight system . The most telling indicator of Railfreight 's success in the 1980s was the unprecedented turnround in its financial performance . From a massive deficit of £281mi1lion in 1984–5 , the year of the miners ' strike , the sector was able to recover quickly to break - even point and then achieve a handsome surplus of £69million in 1988–9 . In so doing Railfreight chalked up an achievement which would scarcely be considered feasible by any other European railway administration : only in Britain is the freight-carrying railway required to function without government subsidy . Sectors and sub-sectors .
Idiom: pass the time of day (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ You were in a public place and having hysterics,’ said Samuel , stung . ‘ What do you expect me to do ? Stroll by and pass the time of day , when you were ranting and raving and threatening’ ‘ I was not , you — you Jasper , sir,’ she hissed . ‘ You wanted to kill poor Thomas in order to further your own beastly ends .
Idiom: body blow (used idiomatically: yes)
YOUR MONEY JOHN HUSBAND CRUEL BODY BLOW FOR ANITA AROUND £ 58 million was wiped off the personal fortunes of Body Shop founders Anita and Gordon Roddick yesterday , when shares in the toiletries chain slumped £ 1.12 to £ 1.54 , following a shock warning from the company that it has been hit hard by the slump . Profits for the six months to August are expected to be down to £ 8 million compared with more than £ 9 million in the same spell a year ago .
Idiom: give someone pause (used idiomatically: yes)
LONDON – Soon after the financial crisis began in 2008 , I was at a meeting in the United ~ States where a senior White ~ House economic adviser put a question to me : “ Do you think banks can be good citizens ? ” As I started to answer “ Yes , ” he interjected : “ If your answer is ‘ yes , ’ think about the fact that no one will believe you . ” His follow - up gave me pause . I ’ve thought a lot about it over the past three years , which have been so difficult for the world economy . The economic environment in which we are all living and working nowadays is particularly challenging .
Idiom: lie low (used idiomatically: yes)
About 4.30 a.m. that morning , John Browne and his family got out of bed . After breakfast and morning prayers , John left to dig peats on the muir to the east of his home . He was accompanied by his nephew , John Browning , who had been involved in Covenanting activities and was lying low at Priesthill . Before long they were busily engaged in cutting the peats , with little talk between them . In his concentration on the job in hand , John allowed his normal vigilance to slip .
Idiom: cross swords (used idiomatically: yes)
I turn up on the set with twenty pages of notes . I say this is true co - operation . ' Harris did n't get on with Kirk Douglas when they made The Heroes of Telemark in 1965 ( but then at that time few got on with Douglas ) , and just a year earlier he crossed swords with Mr Epic himself , Charlton Heston , on the set of Major Dundee in Mexico . It was a troubled film , directed by Sam Peckinpah who constantly had the Columbia Studio brass breathing down his neck . Heston , who had director , script and cast approval , bought Peckinpah extra filming time by returning his salary to the studio , convinced they would n't accept it .
Idiom: one of those things (used idiomatically: no)
No cos they bent round and we had a tie , we did but it was only a little bannister you know , we tried it What do you think was so particular about having stairs ? I do n't know , it was just a novelty , we 'd never ever , I remember an , an aunt of ours that lived in Plymouth near us , she had a house with an upstairs , but she had a downstairs toilet , so we never got to go upstairs you know it 's just one of those stupid things I suppose , I , I thought it was great and another attraction was I think one of the main reasons you got us to really want to come to Harlow was the fact that we 'd have a television Yeah we 'd never , like I mean , I can remember in Plymouth dad saying when we get there , erm we 'll buy a television , we 'll have a television and we did n't know what he was talking about and he said it 's a wireless with pictures , you know , and our minds were boggling we just could n't understand it , and then of course that was another bit of bribery got us to come .
Idiom: all over the place (used idiomatically: no)
Peter was your question answered or not ? No in the air superiority role I did n't hear a comparison with the S U thirty five or the Fulcrum M E twenty nine S er are there any other aircraft of er perhaps comparable capacity with which you did not compare Eurofighter ? What we 've done , won one of the points I think that is worth er making perhaps is that on er over the last few years we 've seen a complete change in world export philosophy where not only are the Russians exporting all over the place but clearly er there are a number of western aircraft in different parts of the world and therefore what we have also done is to , in comparing er our aircraft against other western ones , we 've also looked at them as potential threats because it 's possible that er erm western aircraft in certain hands could end up being used against us so we have also compared those . But the question that young pilots would want to know the answer to is this , erm are there aircraft anywhere in the world with which you have not made a comparison in terms of air superiority ? No , there are none .
Idiom: get on someone's nerves (used idiomatically: yes)
The rooms are back to normal , but much tidier and a good deal cleaner . ' No one congratulated her . Rain gave her a distant smile , worried she would get on Durance 's nerves . Durance had a vicious tongue and used people cruelly . Barbara Coleman said : ' I 've made a pot of coffee .
Idiom: break the back of (used idiomatically: yes)
In fact , we have witnessed this very scenario on so many occasions we could not even begin to discuss them . We have witnessed the murder of millions of men , women and children by the US and their allies in Africa , Vietnam , Nicaragua , El Salvador , Grenada , Chile and the list goes on . We have seen the US break the economic back of small sovereign nations , imposing an economic warfare and savage poverty , which brings with it humiliation , degradation , starvation and the loss of countless human lives . To name but two examples , we have seen the US use chemical warfare when they dropped 17 million gallons of Agents Orange , Blue and White on Vietnam ; and we have seen them feed a germ which induced a potentially fatal fever into Cuba 's water supply . And tragically , in the past few weeks we have seen the US and its Allies carry out over 44,000 sorties over a period of 20 days against the people of Iraq .
Idiom: child's play (used idiomatically: yes)
In his imaginative play , the child in part creates a world of his own and the creatures or objects in it . In imitative play he might assume a role in imitation of one with which he is familiar and might handle equipment as he has seen it used by others . There are inevitably occasions when an interested and sensitive adult may very well be welcomed into the child 's imaginative play , and a ' visitor ' in the role of house guest , window cleaner or plumber , may even serve to extend the play by providing extra stimuli and ideas . On the other hand , the arrival of an adult ' observer ' or ' intruder'may shatter the illusion and bring the play to a halt . Certainly , the arrival of an uninvited and unwelcome mathematically obsessed visitor would hardly be inclined to keep anyone at home !
Idiom: on the trot (used idiomatically: yes)
You you think about , yeah . Two or three times Finland got Three times on the trot . Finland got no points . And it was the same bloke each time .
Idiom: make or break (used idiomatically: no)
Assuming no relapse , Robson and Steve McMahon , who wore the captain 's mantle so impressively in Stockholm , are capable of winning enough possession to prevent the defence from coming under sustained pressure . McMahon had failed to convince the manager on his five previous appearances . As he said yesterday : ‘ Stockholm was make or break . I had to show him I could be an international rather than just a squad player . So I went out to play like I do for Liverpool.’
Idiom: crystal clear (used idiomatically: no)
crystal gazing The pleasure of drinking from a good quality glass is like drinking tea from fine china . Glass comes in many forms from hand engraved to cut crystal , clear , coloured or hand blown . Whether it 's everyday or special occasion glass that you desire we help you through the crystal maze . By Eric Miller .
Idiom: rise through the ranks (used idiomatically: yes)
As Docherty covered every inch of the Palestinian pitches , he was spotted by Walter Waddell , brother of the famous Rangers star Willie Waddell , and on the day of his demobilisation he signed for Celtic . The club paid him the princely sum of £ 8 , a fee that has not risen much over the years according to some of Celtic 's more dour stars . After playing only a handful of games for Celtic , Docherty moved south to Preston North End , where he made his debut on Christmas Day 1949 , eventually displacing his mentor Bill Shankly and rising through the ranks to captain the Preston side . Docherty 's thoughts on football management diverted from Shankly 's in one crucial respect : scandal . If FIFA ever had the foresight to forego football and organise the World Cup for Misbehaviour , Scotland would undoubtedly be the bookie 's favourite and Thomas Henderson Docherty would be an inevitable choice as manager .
Idiom: go public (used idiomatically: yes)
It has set up a support centre in Warrington , UK , with a network of all the different types of systems it supports . DEC also announced NAS support for Sun and NAS Advantage — a higher level of conformance with DEC 's Network Application Support architecture , with SAS and Progress as the first applications to win the brand - level . Michels on NT , Intel , ACE , V.4 and going public Doug Michels , executive vice president of the Santa Cruz Operation , told conference attendees that while Microsoft Corp 's NT had provided a welcome focus on 32-bit operating systems , it 's commitment to open systems remains ‘ very weak’ . People now realise that DOS is not a good enough basis for future systems , he said .
Idiom: take it easy (used idiomatically: yes)
Piers shrugged , Antoinette looked bewildered , but vaguely amused , the bitch , and I was red . It makes me red again to think of it ( and of what happened later — how could he ? ) . Take it easy , said Piers . It 's only a record . I suppose he was angry , he must have known it was a stupid thing to say .
Idiom: against the grain (used idiomatically: yes)
" I 'll tell you , " said Dandelion , from over his shoulder . " If he 's not honest , he 'll know we 're afraid to come and if he is , he 'll think we 're suspicious , cowardly skulkers . If we 're going to live in these fields , we 'll have to get on terms with his lot sooner or later , and it goes against the grain to hang about and admit we dare n't visit them . " " I do n't know how many of them there are , " said Silver,"but we 're quite a crowd . Anyhow , I hate the idea of just keeping away .
Idiom: watering hole (used idiomatically: yes)
And although Mr Knight admitted he 'd prefer a pint of bitter , he agreed that Drinkwise Day was an excellent idea . He said : ‘ Anything that helps to improve health is a good idea.’ Health promoters were on hand at the Albert Dock watering hole to ask people about their drinking habits , give free health checks and advice on healthy drinking levels . The Pumphouse served up alcohol - free cocktails and free coffee flowed all afternoon . Jackie Rankin from Mersey Regional Health Authority said the event was a great success .
Idiom: on the run (used idiomatically: yes)
AN off - duty pub doorman was stabbed to death outside Bobbie 's nightclub , Coventry , early yesterday . Noel Darcy , 23 , of Coventry , had been out with friends when he was attacked by a three or four youths . Clothes - switch prisoner on run A PRISONER who did a clothes switch and walked out with visitors to Acklington prison , Northumberland , was on the run yesterday . Frederick Greaves , 29 , of Pickering Square , Pennywell , Sunderland , was serving three years and three months for burglary .
Idiom: keep the peace (used idiomatically: yes)
Painter cleared of bar assault charge A SELF - employed painter and decorator was yesterday cleared of assaulting the manager of a Harrogate bar . Stephen Gill , of Mount Parade , Harrogate , agreed to be bound over to keep the peace after David Bradshaw , prosecuting at York Crown Court , offered no evidence . The charge arose out of an incident at Trotters Bar in Cheltenham Parade , Harrogate , involving the manager , Grant Mitchell . Stroke appeal :