soccer ball; football (as used in soccer)
(not) enough; (in)sufficiently; (un)satisfactorily
in perfect form; going swimmingly
hanging low (over); hovering around (price level); low hanging (e.g. clouds); sluggish (e.g. economy); slump; recession
as always; as ever; though it's always the case
miserable; disconsolate; helpless; cheerless; downhearted; dreary
gargling; rinsing one's mouth
just the other day; quite recently
dramatic (improvement); remarkable (difference); marked; (far) better; exceptional
wicked tongue; abusive language
prickling; stinging; tingling
to dig your own grave; to bring calamity upon oneself; to put your foot in it
to wheeze; to breathe with difficulty; to gasp
rough; wild; violent; immoderate; extravagant; reckless
unable to do (as one wishes); able to do only with great effort; almost impossible to do; beyond one's control; not always turning out as one wishes; not going the way one wants it to
thinking the sun shines out of someone's eyes; being the apple of one's eye
bed with frame made of pipes
to disappear; to vanish into thin air
quietly; softly; seriously; solemnly; sadly
one's party piece; parlor trick; hidden talent
to laugh away; to laugh off
soiling; polluting; shame; disgrace; chopped fish, shellfish or vegetables, dressed with (miso or other) sauce
plate-spinning trick; plate spinner
"Helping Hands" comedy performance; performance in which one person wears a haori on their shoulders, while another person behind them puts their arms through the sleeves of the haori and feeds the person in front
apple (fruit); apple tree (Malus pumila)
swan (Cygnus spp.); white-feathered bird
silly person; dumb-bunny; dope
art; craft; accomplishment; artistic skill; technique; performance
private talk; confidential talk; secret talk
faked information; bogus intelligence; disinformation
primer; manual; introductory book
make-up; get-up; disguise; costume
at any cost; at any price; at any expense
to carry to extremes; to go to the end of something; to investigate thoroughly; to master
traditional Japanese dance
one-man (show, team, etc.); tyrant; dictatorial person; conductorless bus (i.e. having only a driver); conductorless train
comical (story, song); comic; the comedy business (rakugo, manzai, etc.); something laughable