family structure; family composition; family makeup
academic background; academic credentials; academic record
difficult; tough; formidable; redoubtable; stubborn
results; record; grades; marks
knowing how to swim with the tide; being good at dealing with things
without (making) any mistakes; flawlessly; accurately
effort; exertion; endeavour; endeavor; hard work; striving
detective; investigator; sleuth; detective work; secret investigation
to deceive; to delude; to trick; to be as ... as ... (e.g. "as bright as day", "as beautiful as a rose")
stale; hackneyed; cliched
rise and fall; ups and downs; shame and glory; bright side and dark side; (lit.) light and shadow
one side; one party; counterpart; one of a pair; fellow; mate
mouse; rat; dark gray; dark grey; slate (color, colour)
to listen repeatedly; to listen again; to ask a question in return; to ask again; to ask for a repeated explanation
daring; fearless; intrepid; bold; tough
tragedy; tragic drama; tragic play; tragedy; calamity; disaster
powerful medicine; strong poison
stimulant (e.g. psychoactive drugs like methamphetamine, ritalin, etc.)
composition; synthesis; composite photo; (function) composition
seed (e.g. of a plant); pip; material (e.g. for an article); matter (e.g. of a story); ingredient; leaven (bread); cause
to melt into; to dissolve into; to merge into; to blend into (surroundings); to fit in; to adapt to
to say in other words; to put another way; to express in different words; to reword; to rephrase
incident; affair; happening; event
development; growth; development (of a situation, story, etc.); advancement; playing around; having an active sex life
foresight; foreknowledge; divination
to let go by; to let pass; to overlook; to miss
to put it in an extreme way; to put it in extreme terms
side road; byroad; digression (e.g. from argument)
to turn away; to bear off; to veer away; to deviate (e.g. of a conversation); to digress; to go astray
recklessness; rashness; foolhardiness; temerity; (lit.) without watching where one is going
fictitious; imaginary; fanciful; aerial; overhead
getting closer; drawing nearer; being not much different; being near (age, skill, etc.); becoming close (i.e. friendly); becoming intimate
to tie up in a bundle (e.g. straw, hair, bills, letters); to bundle; to govern; to manage; to fold (one's arms); to put together (one's hands)
riskiness; (level of) danger
in order to do; for the purpose of doing
to withdraw from (a deal); to wash one's hands of; to lead by the hand