to lay bare; to expose; to reveal
preconception; preconceived notion; prejudice
a kind; a sort; of sorts; something of a; sort of; somewhat
genius; prodigy; natural gift
to like; to prefer; to be pleased by
general; popular; common; typical
dragon (esp. a Chinese dragon); naga; semi-divine human-cobra chimera in Hindu and Buddhist mythology; promoted rook
to reel; to wind; to turn (pages); to flip through (a book); to count (e.g. the days); to open one-by-one
technology; engineering; technique; skill; art; craft
the south; southward; southern direction; countries in the south (esp. Southeast Asia and the pre-WWII South Pacific Mandate)
secret (recipe, medicine, etc.); mysteries (e.g. of an art)
modus operandi; criminal technique; trick
usurpation; taking back; dispossession
(eating up) quickly; in no time; quickly (sticking out one's tongue); licking; licking up; (peeling off) in one go
to keep (something) a secret; to keep hidden (for ever); to continue to conceal
riddle; puzzle; enigma; enigmatic; mysterious
walking; pace; step; course (of history, one's life, etc.); history; pitch (of a screw, etc.)
to mince; to cut fine; to carve; to engrave; to tick away (time); to beat out (e.g. rhythm); to etch (into one's mind)
mean; contemptible; despicable; dirty; foul; cowardly
blasphemy; curse; profanity; sacrilege; desecration
happiness; well-being; joy; welfare; blessedness
reason; logic; sense; truth; right
to steal; to rob; to deceive; to trick; to graze (in passing); to skim; to appear and quickly disappear (a thought, a smile, etc.)
offset; offsetting each other; cancelling each other out; set-off; setoff
to be blind to one's shortcomings; to play innocent
trick; trap; stratagem; intraoperative; during surgery
to fit; to get into; to be fit for (a job, etc.); to be suited for; to fall into; to plunge into
successfully; fairly; artfully; nicely; thoroughly
plural; multiple; several
because of; owing to; due to
puzzling; tangled; complicated; complex
to wind; to coil; to envelope; to shroud; to outflank; to skirt
to swallow (e.g. a story); to accept without questioning; to swallow (food) whole; to gobble up; to gulp down
bargaining; haggling; tactics; strategy
expressing oneself without words or gestures; force of personality
quietly; calmly; comfortably; peacefully
edge; brink; verge; time; moment of