open field; empty lot; plain
more; much more; step; rung; paragraph; passage
scrap lumber; piece of wood
bloodthirsty killer; cold-blooded murderer; homicidal maniac
to have a hard time of it
handwriting; calligraphy specimen; example of penmanship; holograph
to sharpen (e.g. pencil); to pout (e.g. lips); to get nervous; to set one's nerves on edge; to raise (e.g. one's voice)
to scribble (write quickly); to dash off
to narrowly escape (e.g. death); to hang onto (life); (arch.) to ascertain; (arch.) to make definite
to be kind to; to treat kindly
ill-natured; mean; nasty; sadistic; cruel; mean-spirited
chattering; talk; idle talk; chatty; talkative; chatterbox
of all (things, people, places, days, etc.)
a step; short distance; short time
having said that; on the other hand
to become damp; to become moist; to become wet; to lack energy; to be in a slump; to be in low spirits
(just) making sure; just to be sure; just in case; for caution's sake
investigation (e.g. by police or prosecutors); examination; inquiry; enquiry
severe; harsh; rigorous; trenchant; scathing; sharp
to carry to extremes; to go to the end of something; to investigate thoroughly; to master
crash; smash; bang; sound of a large, heavy object falling
all night long; all through the night
simple; artless; naive; unsophisticated
preliminary inspection; having a look in advance; preparatory read-through (e.g. of lesson notes); siding (on a house); clapboard
tattling; telling on (someone)
to strip someone; to help someone remove (clothes)
previously; already; for some time; for quite a while
collar; lapel; neckband; nape of the neck; scruff of the neck
stain; spot; smudge; spot (on one's skin, e.g. chloasma, liver spot); blemish; discoloration
to feel anxious; to feel nervous; fluttering down; trickling down (e.g. tears); hanging untidily (of hair); straggling
young girl; lass; adolescent female
just like; the same as; no different than
keep on (doing); (doing) the whole time; (doing) all the time; (doing) all the way; (doing) non-stop
to act as an intermediary; to step in; to come between; to intervene; to interject
judgement; judgment; appraisal (e.g. of an antique); evaluation; forensics; (criminal) identification