beginning; outset; first; onset
above; up; top; summit; surface; before; previous
diligently; seriously; perfectly; properly; sufficiently; satisfactorily
possibly; apparently; (seem) likely; somehow or other; with difficulty; barely
to project; to stand out; to jut out; to go somewhere (e.g. for work); to proceed to; to leave for
seeming to be; appearing to be; like; similar to; in order to (e.g. meet goal); so that
head (chief, director) of a section or department; head of a (school) club; head of a (school) team
demotion; relegation; reduction in rank; degradation; downward move
room; chamber; apartment; flat; stable
previously; before; first; before (something or someone else); beforehand; in advance
two people alike; two of a kind; kissing cousins; cut from the same cloth
at the most; at best; to the utmost; as much as possible; as much as one can
on good terms with; on cordial terms with; getting along well with; to make friends with; to be good friends with; to get along with
it's no joke; gimme a break!
incompetence; inefficiency; inability; incompetent person
shallow playboy; frivolous lad; good-time Charlie
to unite; to join; to do together; to confuse with
to see; to look; to examine; to look over; to look after; to attend to; to experience
to fly (with great force); to blast (e.g. into the sky); to lack common sense; to be extremely surprised (by)
activity (esp. energetic); great efforts; conspicuous service; to flourish; to participate actively; to play an active role
painful; bitter; tough; difficult; cruel; harsh
indicate reason; infers some protest
comfort; ease; easy; simple; (economically) comfortable; raku pottery
only; merely; approximately; about; just (finished, etc.); as if to; (as though) about to
important; significant; precious; valuable; careful
how; in what way; how about
to give (esp. to someone of lower status); to bestow; to provide; to afford; to assign; to cause
by myself; in person; by oneself
devising (a way); contriving; device; design; dedication to spiritual improvement (esp. through Zen meditation)
important; serious; valuable; precious; serious matter; major incident
it is assuredly that ...; can say with confidence that ...; did not ...
to rely on; to depend on; to count on; to turn to (for help)
happy; glad; pleased; joyful; delightful; gratifying
to think; to consider; to think (of doing); to plan (to do); to judge; to assess; to imagine
article; news story; report; account
educational institution; school; academy; campus
middle school (esp. the middle school section of a school that also encompasses other grades); junior high school
terrible; dreadful; amazing (e.g. of strength); great (e.g. of skills); to a great extent; vast (in numbers)
now; soon; already; yet; further; more
one; for one thing; only; (not) even; just (e.g. "just try it"); some kind of; one type of
after all; because; but; even; too; as well
individuality; personality; quirk; idiosyncrasy; character; individual characteristic