to cross (e.g. road); to traverse
to have an ulterior motive; to have an axe to grind
to marry (a woman); to take to wife; to take in marriage
heir; heiress; inheritor; successor
to be badly made; to fail
politics; political manoeuvre; political maneuver
marriage of convenience; marriage for political reasons
life; lifetime; career; for life; all one's life; throughout one's life
changing (one's job, loyalties, stance, etc.); switching over; changing quarters (geisha, prostitute, etc.)
cannot be helped; unavoidable; pointless; useless; hopeless (person); annoying
proposed solution; idea for a solution
to think of; to come up with
in that case; (might not be what was expected or hoped for but) if that's the case
(a) grain; (a) drop; (a) bead
single cell; simple-minded person; one-track-minded person
incomprehensible; nonsensical; puzzling; I don't get it; I'm confused; I'm lost
to make muddy (of a liquid); to make cloudy; to make turbid; to make ambiguous; to evade (e.g. the point); to be noncommittal about
peremptorily; willy-nilly; forcibly
to bring (somebody into a place); to lead into
overbearing; coercive; pushy; forcible; high-handed
association (of ideas); being reminded (of something); suggestion
slightly (blushing); suddenly (getting bright, flaring up, flashing on, etc.); distractedly
shameless; infamous; disgraceful
the more I think about it; the more one thinks about it
explanation; interpretation
to deny; to contradict; to negate (esp. a sound); to drown out
to take seriously; to take someone at their word; to believe (to be true)
real intention; true motive; true meaning
to remain; to abide; to stay (in the one place); to be limited to; to be confined to; to only account for
established fact; fait accompli
indicates uncertainty or second hand nature of information quoted
stealing a march on; getting a head start; secretly acting before others; solo raid on an enemy's camp (for glory)
careful; scrupulous; thorough; conscientious; elaborate; deliberate
to be submerged; to be soaked; to be pickled; to be well seasoned; to be totally immersed (in a condition, e.g. laziness)
balloon (esp. small, toy variety); airship; blimp
to apply pressure to; to press
troublesome; pain in the butt
to stare at; to look hard at; to look up and down; to scrutinize; to scrutinise