bizarre; strange; eccentric; odd; queer
(private) secretary; treasured book; secret book
conference room; council room
formal; strict; ceremonious; stiff
personnel; members; lineup (of a team); announcement of next day's match-ups
jokingly; in the form of a joke
past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
three generations; three periods; third generation
red-horned demon; red ogre
bull; bulldog; bulldozer; bourgeois; bourgeoisie
very interesting; of great interest
chance; start; cue; excuse; motive; impetus
academic background; academic credentials; academic record
poor (living); barely continuing; just scraping along; very narrow
zero; 0; nought; nothing; zilch
as you see; as you can see
to ask for instructions; to ask for someone's opinion; to inquire of; to invoke an oracle; to consult an oracle
right to decide; having say (in a decision)
to half-rise to one's feet
to leave words (behind one, e.g. after death); to say (for posterity); to utter last words; to leave some things unsaid
(someone else's) daughter
no change; no difference; no unusual events; no accidents; no incidents
performance (at a party or banquet, etc.); side show; entertainment
resting one's chin in one's hands; brace (in construction); angle brace
to prick; to stab; to poke; to prod; to use (a cane); to prop oneself up with
blank form; sheets of paper; sheet of paper
to be expensive; to be costly