name; given name; title; fame; renown; pretext
suspicious; doubtful; dubious; questionable; fishy
or something; for instance ... (though there are other suitable options); ... or ...; as soon as; right after; while still
strange; odd; unexpected; change; incident; disturbance
purposely (of something needless, unexpected or seemingly counterproductive, etc.); daringly (doing something); not necessarily; not particularly; (arch.) definitely not
to dress (oneself in); to attire oneself in; to adorn; to pretend; to feign; to affect
in any case; at any rate; anyhow; because; since; for
vigilance; caution; alertness; precaution; being on guard
probably not; probably won't; intend not to; will not; trying not to; attempting not to; whether you ... or not
(some) more; even more; longer; further
to probe; to search; to sound out; to investigate
to fit (e.g. a pane into a frame); to insert (e.g. a cork); to put on (something that envelops; e.g. a ring, gloves); to place (a hoop) around; to pigeonhole (into a particular category); to force (into a mold); to entrap
weapon; arms; ordnance; weapon (something used to gain an advantage); asset
no matter how you look at it; no matter how you slice it; clearly; obviously; surely; without a doubt
villain; baddie; the villain's part
licking one's lips (at the sight of appetizing food); licking one's lips (in anticipation); waiting eagerly (for); salivating (e.g. at the thought)
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it; I mean
direction; orientation; bearing; course (e.g. of action)
shifting gears; changing gears
sound; noise; (musical) note; fame
to feel (as if); to have a feeling (that); to have a hunch (that); to feel like doing; to want to do
waste; scrap; garbage; scum; piece of trash; loser
to stand watch; to stand guard; to look out; to open (one's eyes) wide
to take (seat, position, course, office, etc.); to assume; to ascend (the throne); to accede; to start (on a journey); to commence
to have been decided (so) that; to have been arranged (so) that; to be the result (of); to be the outcome; to be the reason (for)
daytime; during the day; Japan and China; Japanese-Chinese; Sino-Japanese
confluence (of rivers); flowing together; joining; joining (of people, groups, parties, etc.); union; linking up
visit (from someone); call
pretext; history; past; according to ...; ... says
secret meeting; clandestine meeting
method; way; manner; process; procedure; means
the person in question; the person themselves; said person
thereupon; shortly thereafter
existing (at the present moment); alright; acceptable; to be (usu. of inanimate objects); to have
tooth; teeth; tooth (of a comb, saw, etc.); cog; support (of a geta)
character (esp. kanji); letter; handwriting; penmanship; the ... word (e.g. "the L word" = "love")
to pile up; to stack; to load (car, ship, etc.); to pack; to acquire; to accumulate
(public) notice; attention; public eye; public gaze
to touch; to feel; to touch (with); to experience; to come in contact with; to touch on (a subject); to allude to
I've heard that ...; rumour has it that ...; it appears as if ...