Gooogr/pie_idioms huggingface dataset:
Idiom: there's no such thing as a free lunch (used idiomatically: no)
Now there 's a sight you do n't see every day , Restaurateur and Chef Extraordinaire Raymond Blanc , the man who sets culinary trends at up to £ 70 a head , queueing up for a school dinner in Oxfordshire . He was there to help the county council 's school meals service boost its image in the face of the threat of privatisation . Raymond runs the exclusive Manoir aux Quat Saisons in Wheatley , where there 's no such thing as a free lunch . He made the short journey to sample the fare of the proud dinner ladies from Wheatley Park School . At £ 1 a sitting , it was cheap at the price .
Idiom: neither here nor there (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ It was imperative to come here quickly , break the ice and get that acceptance . I believe , fundamentally , that has been achieved . ‘ The fact we lost three one - day internationals is neither here nor there . As for the Test , we 've got nothing to lose,’ Dr Bacher concluded . The West Indies selectors have been accused of bias against players from Barbados following the announcement of their Test team .
Idiom: have a ball (used idiomatically: yes)
It is a requirement of the water bye - laws that servicing valves be fitted on the pipes leading to float - operated valves ( ballvalves ) — on cold water or WC cisterns , for example . See page 39 . Most servicing valves have an internal ball with a hole through it , so that just a quarter of a turn is needed to move the valve from fully open to fully closed . Operation is either by a circular knob or with a screwdriver fitted into a slot . Some servicing valves ( sold for installing a washing machine ) are incorporated into a tee fitting and have a lever to operate .
Idiom: not on your life (used idiomatically: yes)
He does , you know , when money is in question . ' ' Did you tell him anything ? ' asked Greg . ' Not on your life . I 'm not fond of Viola , but I would n't wan her murdered in her bed . He 'd do it for ten quid , let alone for this little lot . '
Idiom: behind someone's back (used idiomatically: no)
The shadow was cloaked , like the one who knew what evil lurked in the hearts of men , and wore a tall hat . An open doctor 's bag stood beside his feet . Susan got a wall behind her back and braced herself against it , edging upwards , feet pushing against the cobbles . She turned her head away from the hissing shadow and pressed her cheek to the wall . WANTED , shrieked a poster , INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OF THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERER .
Idiom: on the game (used idiomatically: no)
The advantage is you can also use this to gain unlimited 1-ups . TO gain 30 lives in Probotector on the NES , pause the game and press Up , Up , Down , Down , Left , Right , Left , Right , A , B , B , A and Stat . HERE 'S a selection of useful level codes for Star Trek 25th Anniversary on Game Boy . Stage 1 : 0523.4 . Stage 2 : 4262.0 .
Idiom: in my book (used idiomatically: yes)
But addressing these issues would require the assembled leaders to rise above them and consider the soundness of global economic arrangements overall . Here are seven commonsense principles of global economic governance that they might agree on . ( I discuss them in more detail in my new book , The Globalization Paradox . ) 1 . Markets must be deeply embedded in systems of governance .
Idiom: sing the praises of (used idiomatically: yes)
And with that slice of humour , we are brought back to the present . Yes , we are living in Hard Times ; but no , let us not go gently on to that good ledge . Let us instead sing the praises of those who get us to smile — the Hundred Funniest ( say we ) People in Britain : those indomitable men and women who help us to cackle through our tears , and who , while they do n't make the bad times any better , certainly make them hurt less . vic reeves : bruce forsyth on acid It is n't easy getting across Vic Reeves ' special brand of music - hall humour , but here goes .
Idiom: over the counter (used idiomatically: yes)
It is the people who work in the institutions who are most exposed to our dislike . Yet these are the same people who are our neighbours , our friends and those who sit beside us in the cinema or at a football ground . So why are they different when met over the counter in a social security office or a housing department ? Those dealing with the public are usually confronted with people asking for help . If we are brought up to think of asking for help as childish , and if our own requests for help have not been swiftly and cheerfully met , we are less likely to respond in a simple and positive way to demands .
Idiom: pick up the pieces (used idiomatically: no)
A Lily in Little India by Donald Howarth . Alvin Hanker is in his room . He has just broken one of his records deliberately and is on his knees picking up the pieces as he talks to himself . ALVIN You 're silenced forever if your groove 's not joined .
Idiom: go from strength to strength (used idiomatically: yes)
The new accompanying supplementary series will soon be available . The first title , Everyday Listening and Speaking is in preparation . Going from strength to strength It is our pleasure … … to put English at your service
Idiom: born and bred (used idiomatically: yes)
Music teacher scores a successful career A music teacher who turned his hand to writing books after he suffered a stroke yesterday presented the Mayor of Darlington with some of his works . Mr David Biermann , who was born and bred in Darlington , gave Coun . Mrs Rita Fishwick copies of a series of his books entitled ‘ Switched On’ , which have been published by the Oxford University Press . Mr Biermann , who is visiting his mother at her home in Elton Road , wrote the books to rebuild his life after a stroke in 1989 left him paralysed down the right hand side of his body . ‘ The books use the electronic keyboard to teach music to children , adults and the physically handicapped,’ he said .
Idiom: white hat (used idiomatically: yes)
He asked Karen to start work the next day . On her first day at the factory Karen learnt a lot . Mr Bailey told her that she had to wear a special white coat , some special shoes and a white hat . ‘ These clothes protect you from radioactive dust,’ he said . ‘ There is n't really any danger , of course .
Idiom: keep a lid on (used idiomatically: yes)
The majority of owners are above average earners , however , and if higher taxes reduce take - home pay , they will find it harder to take on larger loans . Prices and values can not be higher than what people can pay — which means , how much people can borrow — and lenders , belatedly learning prudence , are no longer willing to give the high multiples of gross income they did in the 1980s or the high proportion of price . All this will combine to keep the lid on prices . But on top of this mathematical restraint on prices there is the confidence factor . Who wants to buy a home if the mortgage costs may rise , pay is set to fall and values look like following ?
Idiom: high and low (used idiomatically: yes)
NOTES TOWARDS A CRITICAL PRACTICE : PUBLIC ART AND FEMINISM The current trend for publicly sited artworks could be viewed as a by - product of the postmodernist influences in the art world . As artists , we have seen shifts int he boundaries of public and private , high and low , inaccessible and accessible and , indeed , even personal and political but the influences of past feminist art practices on these moves is very rarely acknowledged . For it could be argued that women artists have a quite specific relationship and history to publicly sited works . Many women artists of the past gave up trying to gain entry to and recognition within the traditional male art institutions : the museum , the art gallery , the history books and journals .
Idiom: get a grip (used idiomatically: yes)
But the timber remained jammed and the tiles continued to languish , tantalisingly so near and yet so far away . Wiping a slick of moisture from her brow , she reviewed the situation . If a grip could be got on the parcel , maybe she could thread it up between the wood and through ? Ashley was balanced on the edge of the skip with her arms stretching unsuccessfully down and her bottom stuck up in the air when , from the dark , smelly depths , she heard a car door slam . Abruptly conscious of the shortness of her shorts and the inelegance of her position , she pushed herself up and jumped down .
Idiom: in the long term (used idiomatically: yes)
The impact of clearance by men using stone axes can be appreciated from this , although we must consider that the use of fire may have been even more important . SOIL CHANGES Rather more important in the long term were the changes which could be initiated by such widespread forest clearance . In forested landscapes in temperate climate rain is intercepted by the tree cover and only reaches the ground slowly by percolation through the vegetation . It moves slowly through the soil and any minerals and salts essential to the soil structure , like calcium , which are leached out , are recycled via the root system back to the vegetation .
Idiom: save face (used idiomatically: yes)
A global moratorium on drift-net fishing on the high seas , including the North Pacific , from mid 1992 , unless scientific evidence can be provided to demonstrate that drift-net use does not pose an unacceptable hazard to marine living resources . The Japanese thus gained a couple of years to phase out their use of drift-nets , and retained the hope that their research scientists might be able to hide the truth about drift-net fishing . By providing Japan with the opportunity to save face and make an orderly withdrawal from drift-net fishing , the UN Second Committee bound them into a commitment to cease drift-net operations in the near future — an astonishing achievement for a campaign which had only really gathered momentum 10 months earlier , with the sinking of the Sankichi Maru . Perhaps belatedly , many more countries are now coming to understand the damage caused by oceanic drift-nets . Because the nets are usually deployed many hundreds or even thousands of kilometres from shore , few but their crews have ever witnessed the damage inflicted on the marine ecosystem by the drift-net vessels .
Idiom: don't hold your breath (used idiomatically: yes)
Right . I will attempt to use that there tape , ta - da , erm to note the minutes and get those back out . Erm I 'll attempt to do that tonight but I do n't hold out much hope so do n't hold your breath . Erm other than that I 'm going to write to . And do the other things that you .
Idiom: at sea (used idiomatically: yes)
Unfortunately , Lord George 's first command was a vessel with an extremely small crew of only 45 men , including officers , which left little room for many aspirants to commissioned rank . Lord George did not long remain in command of such a small vessel , however , and no sooner did he attain a more substantial command than the Duke of Montrose sent orders for the sons of the lairds of Auchenbowie and Balfunning to be sent to London with a view to joining Lord George . It is clear from the tone of the Duke 's letter that these were staunch political friends , and in the case of one of them Montrose was even prepared to help to equip the son for his new life at sea , remarking , Before Lord George obtained this command , however , his inability to render the services expected of him by some of the family 's political friends was a liability , and was seen as such by Montrose , who wrote with some anxiety to deny allegations that the son of another gentleman of the region was serving in Lord George 's ship , but was on board the flagship of the admiral . The Duke insisted that ‘ its fitt it be understood … for it might give umbrage to Achinbowie and Balfunning’ , and he was very clear that the gentleman in question , the son of Glengyle , should not , under any circumstances , join Lord George 's ship .
Idiom: have a heart (used idiomatically: no)
We got wringing wet that week and on the Sunday after the Spurs match , I just felt ill . ‘ I thought ‘ what the hell have I got here ? ’ Had I still got something wrong with my heart , even though I 've never felt better since my by-pass operation . I went straight away to Watford General Hospital because they know all about me . By Sunday evening , though , I was getting back to myself and expected to be let out in a day or two but they kept me in for the week , giving me tests , including an electrocardiogram . ’
Idiom: way to go (used idiomatically: yes)
9 ) Both Mid and Flyer go out of their handstands ( the most elegant way for Flyer to go is through Base 's arms ) , and all three kneel on the floor .
Idiom: on ice (used idiomatically: no)
Do be very careful , though , when having a go since it takes a little getting used to and falls can be very uncomfortable , to say the least . There is , in fact , an organisation in France that runs world championships for the speedsail , where tactics are unimportant and it is just a matter of courage as speeds of up to 50 mph . Even more hair - raising is the thought of landsurfing on ice , which is apparently the winter occupation of some windsurfers in Scandinavia . Fig 86 Different types of course race . Conventional Olympic triangle ; Shorter beat , longer reaches , more gybes
Idiom: fall from grace (used idiomatically: yes)
Is she staying on for another couple of Luxembourg performances ? Just to see us safely in?’ Willi had revealed that , since the night of Madge 's fall from grace , she actually socialized with him , accepted the occasional invitation for coffee and , whilst not exactly chatting effusively about herself or her private life , indulged in fairly normal conversation with him . ‘ She has said she will be staying on , at her own expense of course , until the opening of Zarewitsch . Apparently she likes it in Hochhauser and intends to take a little holiday here — as we have already paid her fare from London.’
Idiom: all wet (used idiomatically: yes)
What 's red and lumpy , wears a mask and rides a horse through the desert ? The Lone Raspberry ! Why was the beach all wet ? The sea weed . Did you hear about the plastic surgeon warming himself by the fire ?
Idiom: not cricket (used idiomatically: yes)
That 's ‘ not cricket’ . We do not follow the British system of counting in dozens . That is not cricket . We count in elevenses . That is cricket .
Idiom: spring to mind (used idiomatically: yes)
It was like the Michael Jackson thing and that 's a strange place to be , because it 's only the celebrity that 's talked about . But then we made a sort of left turn with ' Tusk ' , which dumbfounded a lot of people , not just the record company who obviously wanted the market , but a certain amount of the public who were expecting something that they 'd already labelled and were comfortable with . ' So , although that album kind of jumped the tracks for the band , it allowed me to feel that I could do whatever sprung to mind , whatever made sense for me . So that was the start of this psychology for me , as opposed to making ' Rumours 2 ' and ' Rumours 3'where you 'd start to lose your musical perspective . ' Admittedly there was a sort of backlash from outside , and even from within the group , so we then sort of backtracked .
Idiom: on the button (used idiomatically: yes)
Clicking this brings up another dialog box , where you can set which directories should be chosen , and specify the details that should select the file or files . Choosing the directories to be searched is simple . Click on the Edit Path button . You will see the directories on your disk , and can add and delete directories using the Add and Delete buttons . How the files are selected depends on which boxes you fill in on the dialog box .
Idiom: out of order (used idiomatically: yes)
the public continued to smoke despite a ban ( b ) maintenance / inspection of the escalators was not performed properly ; much of the equipment in the control room was out of order ( c ) the member of staff who was first alerted to the fire did not inform his colleagues ; Police radios did not work underground
Idiom: live it up (used idiomatically: yes)
He would be uncrowned king … a hero … an idol . That fight turned out to be the fight of the century . Sam was living it up . Wine , whisky and women . He was having his fill of all .
Idiom: off the hook (used idiomatically: yes)
But the wolf kept on going , he was cunning and knowing — and in no time was feeding his face . A big hunk of pork had been hanging — in a wagon tipped up on its side The wolf took one look , snatched it off the steel hook — then looked round for somewhere to hide . The Indians ran out of arrows — they decided to call it a day The Chief let out a cry , he was saying goodbye — then in no time they all rode away .
Idiom: on the rocks (used idiomatically: no)
A big night in the Big Apple By Tim Satchell ACTRESS Minnie Driver , who tonight stars with Bill Paterson and Sinead Cusack in Channel 4 's premiere of the film God On The Rocks , has flown off to see in 1993 in New York . ‘ My sister Kate works in the film business as a production assistant out there , ’ she tells me . ‘ I 'm going to have a general look round and meet agents . ’
Idiom: cut and run (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ Have a bit of sense ! If you know what 's good for you , you 'll make yourself scarce before you wake the whole house … . Better cut and run before the coppers arrive.’ ‘ Shut your face!’ The man took a step towards him , and Connor saw his hands were shaking ; candlelight glittered on the shivering blade .
Idiom: behind closed doors (used idiomatically: no)
It failed to build the essential trust needed to form an effective lobby . Waldegrave had no seat at the cabinet table and his superiors were more interested in the privatisation of council houses . The gentlemanly DoE lost its battles behind closed doors . Holdgate ( now at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ) is a relatively cerebral individual , ill suited to match the vigorous propaganda of the CEGB . The CEGB 's Propaganda War
Idiom: round the clock (used idiomatically: yes)
24-HOUR GUARD TO SAVE BUTTERFLY SAMUEL JAMES MURPHY the butterfly is guarded round the clock — to stop thieves netting her . She 's Britain 's rarest flier , worth £ 3,500 on the black market . Murphy , real name Morpho Ppeleides , was a freak of nature when she was born at Butterfly World in Stockton , Cleveland .
Idiom: as luck would have it (used idiomatically: yes)
The infection will spread . I know it is disappointing , but you must get rid of them . " " At that moment , as luck would have it , in came the captain of the guard , with Yona the hedgehog . " " Your Majesty , " he cried , " this creature returns from the marshes of Kelfazin . The people of El - ahrairah are mustering for war .
Idiom: heads will roll (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ We were not insensitive to the clamour for batting changes , and particularly for a left - hander , but we resisted the calls,’ said Dexter . ‘ It is by no means clear how it would be easier for a lefthander to score runs against leg - spin with the ball pitching in other bowlers’ footmarks.’ While the selectors have made just one change this time , it seems certain several heads will roll if Australia go two up at Lord 's . According to Dexter , ‘ much time was spent on a detailed review of the Old Trafford Test and disappointment was expressed at some elements of England 's performance . ‘ These observations will be made clear to the team and to individual players before the game at Lord 's.’
Idiom: have someone on toast (used idiomatically: yes)
I will report back . My two chips were ready in my sweaty palm . I knew I had him on toast . In the meantime , I am mindful of Harold Wilson 's instructions to his staff before the 1974 election : ‘ In victory , malice ; in defeat , revenge.’ Letters
Idiom: draw the short straw (used idiomatically: yes)
A big Public NME -type congratulations to BEN of the SENSELESS THINGS who found an equally senseless thing to marry him on August 14 . Women around the world were heard to heave a huge sigh of relief . The blushing ( with reason ) bride that drew the short straw was one Jo ; formerly of a record store in Chicago , who sold Ben a rare MBV bootleg , causing him to drop immediately to one knee . Stars in attendance included several members of SWERVEDRIVER and the remainder of the Senseless Thingys , ie no stars at all … Another unlucky woman is Debbie Gillard , who got married last Saturday to RUSS HUNT , top crew geezer for the STUFFIES and brother of MILO O'HUNT .
Idiom: joined at the hip (used idiomatically: yes)
Indeed , two new books explicitly twin the two countries : Robyn ~ Meredith ’s The Elephant and the Dragon : The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us and Harvard business professor Tarun ~ Khanna ’s Billions of Entrepreneurs : How China and India are Reshaping their Futures – and Yours . Both books view the recent rise of India and China as shifting the world ’s economic and political tectonic plates . Some even speak of “ Chindia , ” as if the two were joined at the hip in the international imagination . Count me among the skeptics . It is not just that China and India have little in common , save for the fact that they occupy a rather vast landmass called “ Asia . ”
Idiom: go by the board (used idiomatically: yes)
‘ You see,’ he said , maple syrup on his chin , ‘ we are celebrating.’ Celebrating , my fellow in farce , although neither of us belongs , to waffles or to one another . Of course , belonging may be gone by the board , historically speaking , she advises herself , wiping her face with this American paper dinner napkin and not wishing to be personal , to use a bygone phrase . ‘ What shall we celebrate?’ I said .
Idiom: bite the dust (used idiomatically: yes)
Avon Rubber was also buoyant , adding 25p to 435p on the back of a profits recovery . Euro Disney recovered , jumping 30p to 720p , a bearish statement from Guinness knocked the price down 23p to 502p , while a significant disposal at Lonrho sent the shares to 79p , up 5p . Sugar 's buy-out bites the dust George Campbell THE Amstrad saga took a dramatic twist yesterday with shareholders putting the boot into Alan Sugar 's £113m buy-out plan .
Idiom: time and tide wait for no man (used idiomatically: yes)
Among the merry passengers were a group of Scotland 's most adventurous old tars , hell bent on celebrating a mid - week victory over Wales . In order to avoid inflicting worry and pain on the long suffering team manager Willie Ormond , a gang of players bypassed the hotel and headed for the sanctuary of a nearby bar which was owned by a generous Scotland fan called Ross Bowie . The drinking session that followed stretched until 4.00 am ; the players disproving the theory that time and tide wait for no man . Time was never called and the tide was soon to discover it was on a hiding to nothing . As the drink flowed , two of the team 's most ancient mariners , the captain Billy Bremner and his legendary bosun Denis Law told tales of yore and led their gallant crew in a hearty chorus of merry football shanties .
Idiom: at the crossroads (used idiomatically: yes)
1 The UK economy at a crossroads Laurence Harris 1.1
Idiom: for the time being (used idiomatically: yes)
And we take a long range view if you 're heading on the motorways this afternoon . Er locally no real troubles on the M One er if you 're heading down to Leicestershire we have the work at twenty two on the M One not really causing too many troubles but some brand new work on the go in Northants today between junctions nineteen and eighteen that 's the M Six down towards Rugby . Southbound looks pretty slow heading into those roadworks as well for the time being . Of course at the top of Derbyshire at junction thirty on the M One we still have the work there . Again just two lanes open can slow things and a quick glance elsewhere well no real troubles reported just a look at the A One Stanford still the roadworks on the go there both north and south will slow things down .