to couch (a sword); to look at cynically or ironically; (arch.) to stand ready (to do); (arch.) to adopt a formal attitude
to drill; to bore; to hit the mark; to get to the heart of (the matter); (arch.) to put on; (arch.) to wear
exterior; surface; outside; outward appearance; looks
to dress (oneself in); to attire oneself in; to adorn; to pretend; to feign; to affect
pure; true; genuine; unmixed
to manufacture; to produce; to raise (crops); to invent; to dream up; to create
genuine article; real thing; real deal
shield; buckler; escutcheon; pretext
close (e.g. in terms of relationship); intimate
to increase; to add to; to augment
maintenance; preservation; improvement
to surround; to encircle; to enclose
chief; main; principal; important
muddiness; murkiness; impurity; Japanese voiced consonant mark; unrefined sake
to be degraded; to come down in the world; to lose status; to be ruined; to fall low
showy; loud; gay; flashy; gaudy
metallic sound; metallic clank
to be scattered about; to disperse; to be littered (with)
to glide; to slide (e.g. on skis); to fail (an examination); to bomb (when telling a joke); to drop; to go down
to be overturned; to be reversed; to turn over; to fall down; to tumble down; to topple over
at this juncture; after all this time; at this stage; now
uncool; unsophisticated; unfashionable; out of fashion; tacky
promotion; encouragement; fostering; unwanted help (usu. unintentionally harmful); unnecessary help
unripe; green; inexperienced; immature; unskilled
drying rice on a rack; rack for drying rice
narrow; confined; small; limited; narrow-minded; confining
to be fascinated (by); to be captivated by; to be enchanted by; to gaze admiringly at; to watch in fascination
bottomless; endlessly deep; infinite
marsh; swamp; wetland; being hooked (on a video game, TV show, etc.)
ceiling; ceiling price; (price) ceiling
to bear up in tragedy; to stand pain well; to hold one's temper; to clench one's teeth; to grit one's teeth
relief; mitigation; alleviation; relaxation (of restrictions, tensions, etc.); easing; softening
impossible; unlikely; improbable
ringleader; main culprit; main cause; source
displeasure; discomfort; unpleasantness; indisposition; ailment
still; as yet; (not) yet; more; (more) still; at least
being absorbed in; losing oneself in; losing control of oneself
to arrive at (after a struggle); to finally reach; to find one's way to; to finally hit on (e.g. an idea)