explanation; commentary; exposition; elucidation
ticktock; chinking (e.g. of a hammer against rock); knocking; dry and hard; (frozen) stiff; hidebound
main; principal; chief; primary; major
private tutor; coach; governess
to take pains; to take time for someone; to do work for someone; to go to trouble for someone
feeling of tension; air of tension; tension; nervousness
every single word and phrase; word by word
letter (of alphabet); character; writing
chart; diagram; graph; figure
to break; to snap; to be injured; to wear out; to be worn out; to break; to burst
sudden; abrupt; unexpected; unforeseen
one's eyes; (pair of) eyes
to strain (oneself); to bear down; to exert oneself; to put on a bold front; to make a show of strength; to swagger
any; anything; whatever; I am told; I hear; I understand
to lose focus; to let one's mind wander; to relax one's attention
indeed; really; absolutely; truly; actually; very
to apologize; to apologise
rest; break; recess; intermission
tea (usu. green); tea break (at work); tea ceremony
force; vigor; influence; authority; impetus; momentum
to run; to dash; to gallop (on horseback); to canter; (arch.) to advance (against one's enemy); (arch.) to charge (on horseback)
reduced scale; scaling down
cum (e.g. bedroom-cum-study); holding both roles (e.g. Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs); and; in addition; concurrently; at the same time
maintenance; preservation; improvement
information terminal (esp. smartphone, cellphone); digital assistant
to be reflected; to harmonize with (harmonise); to come out (photo); to be projected; to be displayed (on a screen)
rather; sooner; preferably
to get impatient; to become irritated; to fret; to chafe
to turn one's face; to turn around; to look over one's shoulder
to draw; to paint; to depict; to describe; to picture in one's mind; to imagine
(sound of an) explosion or detonation; roar (of a machine)
to roar; to reverberate; to be well-known; to be famous; to palpitate; to throb
mist over a body of water; spray; suien; four decorative metal plates joined at right angles forming part of a pagoda finial
to rise up (e.g. pillar of smoke); to go up
news (from somebody); letter; contact; (somebody's) whereabouts; (somebody's) movements
to stop; to cease; to come to an end; to cut off
direction; way; point of the compass; cardinal direction; method; means
arrival (of post, news, correspondence, etc.); receiving (a phone call, email, etc.)
sentence; composition; text; the literary arts (as opposed to the military arts); academia; statement
indecisive; irresolute; shilly-shally; vacillating
to abuse (verbally); to curse at; to shout abuse at; to speak ill of