major contender; strong (leading) candidate; front runner
in 8 or 9 cases out of ten; in all probability
which reminds me ...; come to think of it ...; now that you mention it ...; on that subject ...; so, if you say ...
rumor; rumour; gossip; speculation; irresponsible criticism; hearsay
advantageous; favourable; better; profitable; lucrative; gainful
ago; since; before; previous
lesson; class work; teaching; instruction
by any standard; (not) even as flattery
(examination) failure; rejection; disqualification
level; standard; water level
somewhere; anywhere; in some respects
insipid; flat; dull; lifeless; listless
to digest; to break down; to break to pieces; to be able to use; to be good at; to finish; to complete
original; unique (e.g. product); signature; exclusive
to surprise; to frighten; to create a stir
to measure; to weigh; to survey; to conjecture; to infer; to surmise
eel (esp. the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica)
to prick; to stab; to poke; to prod; to use (a cane); to prop oneself up with
loach or eel dipped and broiled in soy-based sauce
various foreign countries; several foreign countries
to talk about; to speak of; to recite; to chant; to indicate; to show
reality; actuality; hard fact
to dwell; to live; to stay at; to take shelter at; to be pregnant; to be part of a constellation
to be (of animate objects); to exist; to stay; to be ...-ing; to have been ...-ing
to die; to pass away; to lose spirit; to lose vigor; to cease; to stop
to live through; to survive
inferior; coarse; poor quality; inadequate; deteriorated
environment; circumstance
to rely on; to depend on; to count on; to turn to (for help)
living; life (one's daily existence); livelihood
(powers of) concentration; ability to concentrate
the more ... the more ...; as; (arch.) while; (arch.) during; (arch.) because; (arch.) since
to burn; to burn with (emotion, feeling); to be fired up
belligerence; fighting spirit
one day; all day (long); throughout the day; first day of the month
to cut corners; to be shoddy
where ... is concerned; when it becomes; if it becomes
to stifle a smile, yawn, etc.; to bite to death
attachment (to); tenacity of purpose