ninja; person trained in ninjutsu and employed for covert purposes in feudal Japan
getting poised again for charging; toeing the mark again; starting again; getting a fresh start; going back to square one
to kick the bucket; to drop dead; to die; to be pooped; to be exhausted; to be knackered
to ward off (e.g. an attack); to fend off (e.g. a question); to elude; to evade; to dodge; to turn aside (e.g. a joke)
orbit; trajectory; (railroad) track; (right) track; proper course
almost completely empty; virtually empty; inadequately defended; undefended; unguarded
to stab (into); to thrust (violently); to plant (in the ground, snow, etc.); to set; to stick (upright)
stabbing through; plunging into; sticking right into; sinking into (mud, water, etc.)
suddenly (e.g. falling, weakening, etc.); sharply; with a jerk
to turn pale; to lose color; to lose colour
water outlet; tap; faucet
zip; ping; zing; zoom; whoosh
to hang; to suspend; to lower; to reduce; to demote; to move back
to entrust (to someone); to leave (in someone's hands)
bang; bam; noontime signal gun (carried out early Meiji to Taishō); noon gun; last round in a game of 12 rounds; precisely
chain; series; connection; linkage
to pull into; to draw in; to bring in; to win over
encroachment; invasion; erosion (e.g. of market share, rights); erosion; corrosion
to tighten; to fasten tight; to constrict; to control strictly; to put pressure on; to squeeze (e.g. an economy)
to twist someone's arm and throw them to the ground; to hold (someone) down by twisting their arm; to wrestle (someone) to the floor; to force (someone) to yield (e.g. an argument); to make (someone) surrender
to train; to discipline; to teach manners
curse; spell; malediction
unconsciousness; unconscious; involuntary; the unconscious
to blurt out; to let slip; to say inadvertently; to come out with (e.g. nonsense)
companion; company; tritagonist; second supporting character
confused; disordered; faltered; incoherent; inconsistent
to interrupt; to obstruct (a view, someone's way, etc.); to block (light, wind, etc.); to intercept; to cut off
spit; skewer; proxy (computer server)
anguished; distressed; worried; horny
to dig one's own grave; to bring calamity upon oneself; to make a rod for one's own back
noisily (crowd of people talking); clamorously; in a hubbub; jabberingly; chatteringly; buzzingly
strict (e.g. security); heavy (e.g. guard); showy; pretentious; impressive; imposing
to take the lead; to lead a group; to be in the vanguard
to start to say; to attempt to say; to be about to say; to speak to; to address
to have (urgent) business; to have something one needs to attend to; to have something one wants to say (to someone)
captain; commander; commanding officer; leader
previous conviction; criminal record; previous offense; previous offence
authenticity; credibility