hiding at all costs; desperate cover-up; doing one's best to keep (something) secret
dots; spots; bit by bit; little by little; here and there; scattered
several times; several degrees
start of work; commencement; opening
bell signalling that work, class, etc. will formally begin shortly; first bell; warning bell
in groups of twos and threes; in small groups
these days; nowadays; now; at present; recently; lately
actually; in fact; as a matter of fact
to be hard pressed; to be at a loss; to become poor; to be reduced to poverty
promise; agreement; arrangement; something expected or predictable (e.g. running gag); typical or clichéd development (in a story); something considered obligatory or guaranteed (in a certain situation)
talking about one's love interests; girls' talk; gossiping
daydream; fantasy; fancy; vision
distinction; differentiation; classification
honestly speaking; in truth; in all honesty; to be frank
gathering evidence (e.g. to back a news story); getting the facts; obtaining supporting evidence
the staff; inside the department
somehow; for some reason or other
to live under another's roof; to become a dependent on; to flatten oneself (against); to lean in close to
one way or another; in many ways; in various ways
where ... is concerned; when it becomes; if it becomes
to become exaggerated (of rumours, etc.); to become embellished
gradually; slowly but steadily
chance (of success); odds
labour and management; labor and management
rising rapidly (e.g. prices, popularity); soaring; skyrocketing; going through the roof
high-spec; highly competitive (on the dating scene, e.g. by having a high income, being good-looking); ticking all the boxes
to court; to woo; to approach defiantly
undesirable lover (boyfriend, girlfriend); passion; temper; irritability
excessive meddling (esp. by parents); excessive interference
one's brother-in-law; stepbrother (elder)
short homeroom (at the beginning and end of the school day)
advance arrangements; preparatory meeting; overlap (of a coat, etc.); (arch.) making something match exactly
on the same occasion; at the same time; coincidentally; along with; partly (to do, for)
to add (to what was said before); to say in addition
hallway slippers; indoor shoes
learning by ear; memory of having heard something before
to speak; to hear a voice
maintaining a reasonable distance; neutral position; indecision
invisibly; secretly; privately
isolation; being alone; being friendless
extinction; discontinuation; severance; rupture; to become extinct; to cease to exist
one's manners; one's attitude
madder (esp. Japanese madder, Rubia argyi); madder (red color)
first letter of a word; capital letter (at the start of a word or sentence); initials (of one's name)
large number (of); many; majority
indicates position in a sequence; divisions of a kabuki performance