betterment; improvement; kaizen (Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement)
fortunate person; lucky fellow; lucky dog
perception; intuition; the sixth sense
all one's power (strength, energy, efforts); one's utmost
men and women; man and woman; both sexes; both genders
gentle; quiet; mild; quiet (color, pattern, etc.); sober
being good at cooking; good cook
looking good; sounding good; (of) good appearance
(not) very; (not) much; too much; excessively; overly
to be popular (esp. with the opposite sex); to be well liked; to be pampered (spoiled, doted upon, etc.); to be welcomed
prize beyond one's reach; unattainable object; woman who is out of one's league; (lit.) flower on a high peak
to have a pulse; to be alive; to have a chance; to be not altogether hopeless
nature; natural constitution; innate disposition
moderate (degree); proper (amount); temperate; suitable
genius; prodigy; natural gift
smirkingly; broadly (grinning)
beginning; start; first (in line, etc.); origin; such as ...; not to mention ...
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it,...; I mean
object of romantic interest; potential love interest
two people alike; two of a kind; kissing cousins; two people cut from the same cloth
on closer reflection; on second thought; come to think of it; actually
distant (from someone); aloof; estranged; knowing little (of); ill-informed (about); ignorant (of)
office; official; chief; head; person (usually a woman) who officiates at religious ceremonies (on the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa)
to shun; to avoid; to ostracize; to neglect; to distance oneself from; to give the hard shoulder
the past; bygone days; one's past (that one would prefer remained secret); past (tense); preterit; previous life
easy victory; walkover; easy peasy; child's play; cakewalk
idling; lazing; slovenly; flirting; philandering; womanizing
no matter how you look at it; no matter how you slice it; clearly; obviously; surely; without a doubt
losing easily; being trounced; being beaten hands down
no matter how you put it; whatever the circumstances may be; say what you like; no matter how you look at it
underling; newbie; small fry; newcomer
around the clock; day and night
to match; to be a match for; to rival; to equal; to compare with
to support; to prop; to sustain; to hold at bay; to stem; to check
to make noise; to make racket; to rustle; to swoosh; to make merry; to clamor; to clamour
carefully; closely; very; extremely; have no choice; cannot be helped
good; advantage; sake; purpose; consequence; result
to prepare oneself (for the worst); to resolve oneself
so much (something) as to (e.g. so moved as to cry); overwhelmed; carried away; because of too much
to stiffen; to become stiff; to harden