eight; eight years of age; two o'clock (old time system)
with an interesting history (story); with a shady history; with circumstances that are difficult to explain
method; process; manner; way; means; technique
antiques business; curio dealer; secondhand dealer
he; she; that person; that; that one; that thing
influence; effect; to influence; to affect; to have an influence on
long ago; already; a long time ago
to finger; to touch; to make changes to; to tinker with; to dabble in; to do as a hobby
above; up; top; summit; surface; before; previous
cooking; cookery; cuisine; dealing with something; handling; administration
magnificent; grand; fair; square; grandly; boldly
to snatch (and run); to carry off; to swipe; to scoop up (and remove; sand, earth, etc.)
lateness; tardiness; arriving late
brother-in-law (spouse's older brother or older sister's husband); older stepbrother
to be in a hurry; to be impatient; to be anxious (to do); to get a fright; to panic; to get flustered
leaving out; omitting; skipping; (beating) in succession; in a row
when it comes to ...; where ... is concerned; if it's the case that ...; if it turns out that ...; if it's true that ...
perhaps; possibly; by some chance; by some possibility
man; male; masculine gender
how do you do?; nice to meet you; adieu; farewell; bon voyage
bed hair; hair disarranged during sleep; habit of moving around in one's sleep; sleeping habit
fingers; fingertips; underling; stooge; tool
skillful; skilful; adroit; clever; shrewd; ingenious
sister-in-law (spouse's younger sister or younger brother's wife); younger stepsister; younger adopted sister; non-blood-related younger sister
I; me; personal (affairs, etc.); private; selfishness; partiality
to inhale; to breathe in; to suck up; to absorb; to soak up
encounter; being confronted with (e.g. difficulty); meeting with (e.g. accident)
genuine article; real thing; real deal
such; like that; that sort of; very
structure; construction; arrangement; plan; plot; contrivance
confluence (of rivers); merge (of traffic); conflux; union (e.g. of forces); linking up; merging
nine; nine years of age; twelve o'clock (old time system)
thank you for your hard work; good work; see you; goodbye; goodnight
origin; source; base; basis; cause; ingredient; material