laying the groundwork; behind-the-scenes maneuvering; consensus-building process; digging around the roots of a tree (before transplanting)
scenery; scene; landscape
little less than; slightly fewer than; just under; weakness; the weak
immediately; right away; at once; easily; readily
to start the debate; to get the ball rolling; to fire the first shot; to start a conversation
head; lead; vanguard; first
joy; delight; rapture; pleasure; gratification; rejoicing
to chew thoroughly; to bite (e.g. one's lip); to reflect upon; to digest
to prove successful; to take hold; to amount to something
generally; in the main; (more or less) everything; all parts; ordinary; usual
another thing; exception; special case
forward; frontward; ahead; rectangular front
precise; accurate; appropriate; exactly the right
working overtime; detention; being kept in (e.g. after school)
outsider; someone outside of a group
unpleasant feelings (e.g. hatred, disgust, revulsion, fear)
mystery; something inexplicable; unfathomable (of a Buddha's abilities); 10^64 (or 10^80)
one move (in go, shogi, etc.); only way; only means; doing alone; doing single-handed
unable to resist; unable to suppress
indeed; really; absolutely; truly; actually; very
disorder; chaos; confusion; mayhem
feeling guilty; having a guilty conscience; having qualms about
to be suspicious of (someone's motives); to suspect (that)
short pause; short interval
elucidation; explication; explaining; unravelling; clarification; understanding
the other day; lately; recently; meanwhile; in the meantime
some time ago; recently; lately; last (Sunday, etc.); previous
next-door neighbors; (living, sitting) next to each other
fresh in one's mind; fresh in one's memory
entirety; whole; balance (in Zen); equality
to take a view or perspective; to regard as; to consider to be
to be perturbed; to be agitated
(teacher's) platform; podium; dais
point of uncertainty; unclarified issue; doubt
to detach; to decapitate; to cut loose; to let loose; to dismember
as a test; as an experiment; by way of experiment; by way of trial; tentatively
neighbour; neighbor; neighbourhood; neighborhood
preservation; retainment; keeping
trump card; ace up one's sleeve; secret weapon
to stop; to stay (e.g. the night); to contain; to keep (in position, in place); to record (e.g. a fact); to retain
to manufacture; to produce; to raise (crops); to invent; to dream up; to create
great antiquity; old-fashioned; long ago