difficult to ...; hard to ...
steady; sound; stable; safe (e.g. business); reliable; trustworthy
common sense; common knowledge; common understanding
losing a battle; lost battle; battle one cannot win; battle one is doomed to lose
to be on the verge; to be on the brink; to get close
to run away; to flee; to make off; to start to run away
conversely; on the contrary
difficult situation; adverse circumstances; predicament; trouble; dilemma; distress
the latter; the second; successor; descendant
to look after; to take care (of); to favor; to gaze at; to stare at; to set one's eyes on
to spread (of a rumour, news, etc.); to travel; to be handed down (from generation to generation); to be passed down; to be introduced (to a country, region, etc.); to be brought; to be conveyed (of a feeling, impression, etc.)
interesting; fascinating; amusing; funny; enjoyable; fun
to say previously unspoken thoughts; to start saying; to court someone
to appear; to come in sight; to become visible; to be expressed (e.g. emotions); to become apparent (e.g. trends, effects)
monotony; monotone; dullness; monotone; monotonic
doubt; suspicion; question; strangeness
to see; to witness; to observe; to catch sight of; to get a glimpse of; to encounter
just (now, at the moment, etc.); just as; in the act of; as soon as; at the moment that
I; me; personal (affairs, etc.); private; selfishness; partiality
if one is unlucky; if one is careless; if things don't go well
dangerous; risky; in danger; in jeopardy; uncertain; unreliable
expressly; especially; specially; intentionally; deliberately; on purpose
well, ...; right, ...; so; then; that way (would mean ...); if that is the case
theory; doctrine; opinion; view; rumour; rumor
to suddenly understand (esp. on basis of experience or memory); to come to mind; to recall (in a flash); to be reminded of; to call to mind; to think of
no matter how you look at it; no matter how you slice it; clearly; obviously; surely; without a doubt
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; circumstances; situation; work
subtle; delicate; difficult; complex; doubtful; questionable
position; situation; viewpoint; standpoint; point of view
to break the ice; to broach a subject; to bring up a topic
reserve; constraint; declining; refraining; forethought; foresight
without; unacceptable; not alright; (arch.) nonexistent; (arch.) not being (there)
in a sense; in some way; to an extent
small; little; slight; below average (in degree, amount, etc.); low (e.g. sound); soft (e.g. voice)
halting (speech); faltering; stammering
privacy; secrecy; confidentiality
trying to think of a way (to do); devising means (to do); working out (how to do); contriving (to raise money); managing
to attach; to join; to furnish (a house with); to wear; to put on; to keep a diary; to make an entry
to tread on thin ice; to go out on a limb; to walk a tightrope; to take risks; (lit.) to cross a dangerous bridge
to show up; to appear; to turn up
to go against; to fight against; to oppose; to resist; to deny
misfortune; bad luck; ill luck; ill fortune
to take refuge in; to succeed in running away