reduction; diminution; abatement
habit (often a bad habit, i.e. vice); tendency; peculiarity; idiosyncrasy; crease; wrinkle
grasp; catch; understanding
neglect (dereliction) of duty; negligence
(not) well; (not) properly; (not) enough; (not) sufficiently; (not) satisfactorily; (not) decently
practice; training; drill; (an) exercise; workout
to finger; to touch; to make changes to; to tinker with; to dabble in; to do as a hobby
common; commonplace; reckless; pulp paper; granulated sugar; (arch.) coins
innocent look; nonchalant look; look of ignorance; air of innocence
furnished with; including; attached to; impression; appearance; luck; sociality
to rake over the coals; to scold; to chastise; to burn moxa on the skin
to trick; to cheat; to deceive; to seduce
death penalty; capital punishment
to bear a grudge against; to resent; to blame; to curse; to feel bitter towards
not caring; not giving a damn
concrete; definite; specific; material; substantial
all that one has; all that there is; the whole
valid; proper; right; appropriate; reasonable
fact-finding investigation; investigation into actual conditions; fact-finding survey
to jump in; to leap in; to plunge into; to burst in; to barge in
killing a would-be avenger; having the tables turned on someone (e.g. by a challenger); being beaten at one's own game
bitter smile; wry smile; forced smile; strained laugh
horizontally; flat; across; crossways; crosswise
half the amount (of money); half price; half fare
(being in) the red; deficit; red letter; red writing; corrections (by a teacher or proofreader) written in red
to write down; to note; to jot down; to remember
trouble; bother; trouble; difficulty; care; attention
sale; selling; selling point; gimmick; seller; vendor
flinchingly; falteringly; being overwhelmed; staggeringly; totteringly; unsteadily
combination; union; incorporation; congruence
other people's affairs; somebody else's problem
fellow; mutual; companion; comrade
to study (in depth); to learn; to take lessons in
head (chief, director) of a section or department; head of a (school) club; head of a (school) team
abuse of authority; abuse of public office; misfeasance
though; although; be that as it may; nonetheless