to sniff around; to snoop around; to nose about
being quick-eared; having sharp ears; being first to know about something
eyes and ears; seeing and hearing; one's attention; one's interest
to get information; to find out; to get wind of
early on; earlier on; from early
dropping in on the way; stopping off at; making a side trip; going the long way round; making a detour
incomplete understanding; doubt; question; distrust; suspicion; strangeness
great laughter; burst of laughter
old badger; veteran; oldtimer; schemer; old fox
to be sullen; to be offended; to be huffy; to be stuffy; to be stifling; to be muggy
difference; discrepancy; variation
quantity; amount; volume; number; amount of money
to fix upon (one-sidedly); to (ignore somebody's position and) arbitrarily decide something is the case; to scold; to take (a person) to task
to come out; to fall out; to fade; to discolour; to wear a hole (e.g. clothes); to leave (e.g. a meeting); to be clear
tobacco; cigarette; cigaret; tobacco plant (Nicotiana tabacum)
prohibition; inhibition; ban
to use one's influence; to pull strings; to take measures; to make the necessary preparations
naturally; in due course; by itself; of its own accord
the last moment; the very end
to drill; to bore; to hit the mark; to get to the heart of (the matter); (arch.) to put on; (arch.) to wear
natural; understandable; reasonable; no wonder
senility; dotage; decrepitude
ill-natured; of mean disposition; malicious; poor-quality; of poor quality
meddling; interference; extending a paw to drag something closer; (arch.) hand; (arch.) arm; (arch.) disfigured arm
something heard for the first time; hearing something for the first time
lineage; stock; descent; strain; blood relationship
worth; merit; value; good point; redeeming feature; saving grace
to have something on one's mind; to have (undisclosed) reservations; to feel conflicted
touchstone; Lydian stone; touchstone (e.g. of success); test; litmus test
to chastise; to punish; to discipline
sorrow; grief; anguish; trouble; affliction; anxiety
to sever; to cut off; to suppress; to eradicate; to abstain (from); to give up
to participate in (as a member); to get involved in
implication; hidden meaning; latitude; atmosphere; tone; sentiment
to pass; to elapse; to pass through; to go through; to experience; to go through
with a feeling of relief; with a sigh of relief; deeply (sigh)
powerfully; vigorously; with all one's strength; lots of; heaps of; plenty
ambush; lying in wait for an ambush
to jump up; to spring up; to move around; to bounce up and down; to pound (of one's heart, e.g. with excitement); to throb
to guess; to sense; to presume; to sympathize with; to sympathise with