how long; how much; to what extent
effort; exertion; endeavour; endeavor; hard work; striving
futility; waste; uselessness; pointlessness; idleness
to polish; to shine; to brush (e.g. teeth); to refine (e.g. a skill); to improve; to cultivate
hopeless; futile; no use; beyond help; cannot be done
to be resurrected; to be resuscitated; to be rehabilitated; to be recalled (e.g. memories); to be brought back
genius; prodigy; natural gift
academic background; academic credentials; academic record
primary school; elementary school; grade school
at that time; in those days; at that moment; then
many; numerous; various; large number of
innovative; liberal; reformist; progressive
thesis; essay; treatise; paper; article
announcement; publication; presenting; statement; communique; making known
riddle; puzzle; enigma; enigmatic; mysterious
cum (e.g. bedroom-cum-study); holding both roles (e.g. Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs); and; in addition; concurrently; at the same time
many; much; plenty; hardly
enterprise; business; company; corporation
contract; compact; agreement
to tie; to bind; to bear (fruit); to close (e.g. deal); to confirm; to connect (two distant places); to close tightly
unidentifiable; unidentified
a kind; a sort; of sorts; something of a; sort of; somewhat
to be dented; to be indented; to be beaten; to be overwhelmed; to be disheartened; to feel down
super-; ultra-; extremely; really; over; more than
to be complete; to be all present; to be equal; to be uniform; to gather; to assemble
family; members of a family
ordinary; common; commonplace; mediocre; unremarkable; undistinguished
off the top of one's head; from thin air; from memory
direct; immediate; personal; firsthand
to (an extent); up to; doesn't amount to doing ...; not significant enough to require ...; even if ...
to help; to assist; to aid; to contribute to; to be a factor in
to collect oneself; to cool off; to recover oneself
courage; bravery; valour; valor; nerve; boldness
of course; certainly; naturally
the past; bygone days; one's past (that one would prefer remained secret); past (tense); preterit; previous life
to be opposite; to face each other; to confront (an issue); to face
to taste; to eat; to drink; to speak (of); to refer (to); to say
embarrassed; feeling ashamed; feeling awkward
of all (things, people, places, days, etc.)