to insist; to assert; to be obstinate in saying
the real criminal; true culprit
clue; lead; key; handhold; hold
progress; being under way
guess; speculation; supposition
to fly about; to flutter about; to flit about; to fly past each other
to take a pinch of something (e.g. salt); to pick up in one's fingers
difficulty; hardship; trouble; infeasibility; inability (to carry out)
acquisition; obtaining; coming to hand
course; route; path; process; means
establishing; proving; ascertaining; identifying; confirming
to smash violently; to crush
regret; repentance; remorse
to rise; to erect; to get up
to do someone in; to bump someone off
to hit (e.g. to have a car hit someone); to run into; to reject; to deny; to eliminate; to exclude; to flip
leaping; activity; leapfrog (over a problem); making a leap (e.g. in logic); making great strides; making rapid progress
past; after; too (much); over- (e.g. eating)
sigh (of grief, disappointment, etc.); grieving; lamenting; deploring
genuine product; officially licensed product; non-counterfeit article
with an interesting history (story); with a shady history; with circumstances that are difficult to explain
anonymity; using an assumed name
shopkeeper; storekeeper; proprietor of a shop
to threaten; to menace; to frighten (into doing)
cunning deed; sly trick; foul play; cunning person; sly fellow; cheat
to pull out; to take out; to lead out (e.g. a horse from a stable); to summon (e.g. to court); to withdraw (money); to draw
the scruff or nape of the neck
to stare at each other; to lock eyes with
feel (of a material); texture
to assume the air of ...; to behave like ...; to put on airs; to be self-important
instead of; in place of; as a substitute for; in exchange for; in return for; to make up for
relatively quickly (esp. actions); quite suddenly (esp. wind, rain, etc.)
gesture; movement; action; acting; performance
hollow; sharply; cleanly (of cutting); smoothly
to crawl out of; to creep out of
unforgivable; inexcusable; unpardonable
assembly hall; meeting place; venue; grounds
to take off (clothes, shoes, etc.); to undress
(social) standing; status; identity; birth; one's circumstances; one's means
the reverse; other side; lining
to pass (the night); to spend; to reveal; to divulge; to prove; to verify