tone (of voice); manner of talking
opposite; reverse; contrary; front and back; parallel to; back to back
harsh (taste, feeling, etc.); acrid; sharp (language, question, etc.); biting; nasty; gross
very fast; in a twinkle; before one's eyes
to go pale; to grow pale; to lose color; to turn white
pale; pallid; bluish-white
deterioration; getting worse; worsening; aggravation; degeneration; corruption
earth (color, colour); earthen; ashen; deathly pale
usual; ordinary; normal; regular; general; common
belonging; ascription; attribution; reversion; return; restoration
to take responsibility (for a fallout); to accept the blame; to take the blame
sacrificial pawn; sacrificed piece; sacrifice
frustrated (over a failure, humiliation or injustice); annoyed; chagrined; (bitterly) disappointed; bitter; vexed
to catch; to stop the blow; to react to; to take (advice, etc.); to accept
quiet; silent; slow; unhurried; calm; peaceful
annoying; infuriating; provoking; irritating; aggravating; vexing
to kick into the air; to kick up; to kick from below
management; dealing with; course of events; circumstances; end result (usu. bad); outcome
last moment; eleventh hour; platform made of dirt used to perform executions (decapitations) in the Edo period
massacre; annihilation; wholesale slaughter
to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse; to use as grounds (for); to use as a shield; to shelter behind; to hide behind
to declare; to assert; to state definitively; to finish saying; to say everything; to tell all
painful; difficult; distressing; (psychologically) difficult; straitened (circumstances); tight (financial situation)
incomprehensible; mysterious; inexplicable; inscrutable; enigmatic; baffling
killing a would-be avenger; having the tables turned on someone (e.g. by a challenger); being beaten at one's own game
blunt; to the point; direct; outspoken; frank
conclusion (of an argument, discussion, study, etc.); conclusion
country-bred; raised in the country
to distance oneself (from); to keep (something or someone) at a distance; to maintain a distance (from)
mark; target; object; subject; point (e.g. of argument)
exactly; precisely; closely; tightly; properly; without fail
careless; sloppy; faulty; using unreliable sources (in a piece of writing); piece of writing with unreliable sources or many errors
decision; determination; resolution
really; very; extremely; (not) anything; (not) at all; (not) a bit
with; by; because of; on account of; on (a day, date); at (a time); adds emphasis to preceding word
spirit; determination; pluck; mettle