darkness; the dark; bewilderment; despair; hidden place; secrecy
disposal; abandonment; scrapping; annulment; cancellation; abrogation
in spite of; nevertheless; although; despite; no matter the; regardless of
unpleasant feelings (e.g. hatred, disgust, revulsion, fear)
to torment; to torture; to harass
ceasing to write; ceasing one's writing activities; retiring as a writer; putting down one's pen
to start a journey; to embark on a trip; to set forth; to hit the trail
travel; trip; journey; excursion; tour
meeting; assembly; association; conjunction
participation; joining; entry; adherence
intimacy; friendship; friendly relations
to meet; to meet up; to rendezvous; to join (of roads, rivers, etc.); to flow together
toilet; restroom; bathroom; lavatory
to tear up and throw away
(having) bad marks or results (e.g. in school); of poor quality or workmanship
self-assessment; self-evaluation; self-rating; self-esteem
unreliable; undependable; untrustworthy; not to be counted on
even more; still more; further
to the last; persistency; thoroughness
testimony; (verbal) evidence
to stay at (e.g. hotel); to be docked; to be berthed; to be moored
confession; acknowledgement; confession of love; professing one's feelings; confession of sins (e.g. the confessional)
(to be ashamed enough) to wish you could just disappear; wanting to sink into the ground in shame
essays; miscellaneous writings; literary jottings
repentance; confession; penitence
bag; satchel; briefcase; basket
to press a question; to cross-examine
to tear; to rip; to break through (cordon, opponent's defense, etc.); to breach; to defeat; to beat; to break (e.g. silence)
third party; third person; outsider; disinterested person
collection; recovery; withdrawal; retrieval
hypothesis; supposition; assumption; tentative theory
to fall into someone's hands; to pass into another's possession
to have a reason; to have an excuse
to become serious; to take something seriously (joke, teasing); to become irritated or angry (usu. at something trivial); to get worked up
objection; refutation; rebuttal; counterargument
Ming dynasty (China, 1368-1644)
town; block; downtown; main street; street; road
occasionally; once in a while; seldom; casually; unexpectedly; accidentally
to pick up; to find; to gather
starting point; point of departure
to be interested in; to take an interest in; to care about
distinctive of; characteristic of; uniquely applying to; but; except; without
to arrive (at one's destination); to reach; to come to a head; to reach a conclusion; to culminate (in)