to pilfer; to filch; to swipe
whether one likes it or not; whether willing or not; willy-nilly
succession struggle; succession race
loose; slack; gentle (slope, curve); slow (speed); lenient; liberal
a rival horse or candidate
draft (esp. in baseball); draft; rough copy; draught (beer); draft; draft (air current)
lottery; lot; raffle; draw
vague; ambiguous; shady; disreputable; fuzzy
colluding; complicity; liaison; compromise; giving in
expectation; anticipation; purpose; intention; others' opinions of one; speculation
during; for the duration of
acknowledgement; acknowledgment; understanding (e.g. "please be understanding of the mess during our renovation"); noting
dangerous; in danger; facing imminent danger; precarious (situation); perilous (state, balance, etc.); in doubt
(person who has the) hands of God; master; virtuoso
one by one; in detail; minutely
dorayaki; dessert sandwich of two small sweet pancakes and red bean paste
perversity; perverse person; antagonistic demon in Japanese folklore; demon under the feet of temple guardian statues
to dig your own grave; to bring calamity upon oneself; to put your foot in it
to curse (at someone); to call someone names; to speak bitterly
to take a view or perspective; to regard as; to consider to be
to respect; to honor; to honour; to esteem; to prize
petty; small-minded; stingy; poor (performance, etc.); bad; unskilled
duplication; repetition; overlapping; redundancy; restoration
central city; major city (in a region)
unification; bringing together; generalization; control; supervision
capital; metropolis; old Kyoto
ancient city; former capital
tatami mat; Japanese straw floor coverings
sixteenth day of the month; sixteen days
shoji (paper sliding door)
tokonoma (alcove where art or flowers are displayed)
to make good one's escape; to get away; to outrun; to hold on (and win); to win narrowly