shrewd; astute; cunning; alert
master; expert; expert board game player (chess, go, shogi, etc.)
clearing out people (from room, etc.); ordering people to leave
to call again; to call someone back
connection; attachment; changing trains; conjunction
immediately; at once; right away; directly; in person; first hand
complex; intricate; complicated; confused; troublesome; vexatious
contacting; getting in touch; communication; call; message
bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
tie-dye; tie-dyeing; aperture (e.g. camera, iris of the eye); aperture stop; contraction; squeezing
thick; deep; kind; cordial; abundant
at the critical moment; when the time comes; when it's most important; when necessary; in an emergency; when push comes to shove
good-for-nothing; scapegrace; nuisance; trouble
no change; no difference; no unusual events; no accidents; no incidents
to take a turn for the better (of an illness, patient, etc.); to begin to improve; to begin to recover; to convalesce
How did you like ...?; How about ...?; What's going on?; How's it going?
to weaken (of willpower, solidarity, etc.); to lose one's edge; to become less tense; to become lax (of discipline, rules, etc.)
feel; touch; impression (of a person); most impressive passage; highlight; beginning
hindrance; obstacle; harm; bad effect; sickness
amorous feelings; feeling of being in love
lovey-dovey; head-over-heels in love
camouflage; disguise; pretense; feigning; masquerade
what did you just say (to me)?; what's that?
nonconformist; dissenter; maverick; enfant terrible
under the sod; one's grave; the other world
camouflage; disguise; pretense; feigning; masquerade
complete ignorance (usu. in reference to feigning); lack of knowledge
rich (in flavor, color, smell, etc.); thick; very likely; highly possible; passionate; hot
pinch; crisis; tough spot; clothespin
item; something that one "just has to have"
to turn the rudder of a ship; to change direction (of policy, etc.)
already; now; no longer; not any more
story; tale; legend; plot; storyline
(if) by some chance; by some possibility; in the unlikely event that; (unlikely event of) emergency; the worst(-case scenario)
discouragement; despondency; dejection; disappointment
to drag along; to pull; to force someone along; to prolong; to drag out; to influence strongly
to suffer; to groan; to be worried
smoothly; swimmingly; forthrightly; without hesitation
performing without rehearsal
being concentrated on one thing; devoting oneself completely to something
suddenly; casually; accidentally; incidentally; unexpectedly; unintentionally
tenacious; tough; enduring; dogged; headstrong; stubborn
to join; to be put together; to combine; to unite; to fit; to close (e.g. of a wound)