palatial residence; stately mansion
origin; source; base; basis; cause; ingredient; material
ridge (of roof); back of a sword; counter for buildings, apartments, etc.
detached building; solitary house; room detached from main house; separation from; loss of interest in; independence of
one (esp. of two); the other; on the one hand; on the other hand; whereas; although
to paint over; to paint out; to fill in; to cover completely (with paint)
to be unable to; to find difficult (unpleasant, awkward, painful) to do; to serve two or more functions or roles simultaneously; to contain (or combine) two or more features; to work in two or more jobs simultaneously (positions, etc.); to do alongside
study; library; den; home office; reading room
Hoffmann; Hoffman; Hofman; Hofmann
difficult to ...; hard to ...
surely; certainly; no doubt; indeed
that kind of; of the sort; of the kind; such
grandfather (may be used after name as honorific); male senior-citizen (may be used after name as honorific)
dilettante; lecher; nymphomaniac
fortuitous; luck; windfall; godsend; good fortune
can do nothing but (do); cannot help (doing) something
stubbornly sticking to old ways; narrow-mindedly rejecting other people's views
disposition; temperament; temper; nature
passing the baton (in a relay race); baton pass; baton handoff; passing the baton; handing over (a job, responsibility over something, etc.)
before ... days (months, etc.)
to tickle; to tickle (one's curiosity, vanity, etc.); to arouse; to make laugh; to amuse
Bach (German composer, 1685-1750)
small; little; slightly less than; just about; somewhat; somehow
splendour; splendor; pompousness; magnificence
to hum (a tune); to sing to oneself; to croon
alchemy; way of making money; moneymaker; money-spinner
making secret; not revealing; hiding (something)
cross; crossed; cruciform
genealogy; lineage; family tree; pedigree