technical prowess; technical ability; technical finesse; technological prowess; technological capabilities
to surpass; to outstrip; to excel
ago; since; before; previous
difficult to ...; hard to ...
environment; circumstance
to be completed; to be finished; to be ready (e.g. to serve or eat); to be very drunk
gap; space; break; interlude; chink (in one's armor, armour); chance
to act (a part); to play (a role); to perform (a play, etc.); to put on (a production); to commit (a blunder); to disgrace oneself
somehow; how; in what way; why; what kind of
moving forward (e.g. vehicle); onward movement; advance (work, procedure, etc.); advancement; progress (of a disease); disease progression
to shorten the distance (between); to close the gap (e.g. on the leader); to get closer (e.g. to someone); to close in (on)
to warp; to bend; to contort; to be perverted; to be warped (of a view, mind, etc.); to be distorted
cruel; inhumane; callous; brutal
ghastly; gruesome; appalling; lurid
strange; unfamiliar; mysterious; suspicious; (lit.) of an unknown nature
to express in a refined fashion; to weave a web of words
crowd of people; great number of people; in great numbers
to fall to one's knees; to go down on one's knees (e.g. to express respect)
putting on a brave face; put-on cheeriness; pretending one is fine; show of courage; bravado; Dutch courage
to turn up; to roll up (e.g. sleeves); to do over and over again; to do relentlessly; to stage a comeback (against) (in mahjong, horse racing, etc.); to come from behind
such a thing; something like that
natural; reasonable; obvious; usual; common; ordinary
right (to do something); authority; power
to remove; to take off; to drop (e.g. from a team); to remove (from a position); to leave (e.g. one's seat); to go away from
deep blue; bright blue; ghastly pale; pallid; white as a sheet
dull (e.g. a knife); blunt; thickheaded; obtuse; dull (sound, color, etc.); dim (light)
nothing; naught; nought; un-; non-
rushing into; breaking into; storming; plunging into (war, etc.); embarking on (a new venture)
easily; readily; quickly; lightly (seasoned food, applied make-up, etc.); plainly; simply
dot; spot; mark (in an exam, etc.); grade; point (in a game); score; point (in geometry)
for the first time; only after ... is it ...; only when ... do you ...; first time; (one's) first
splendid; magnificent; utter (esp. defeat); total; (arch.) something worth seeing; (arch.) sight
to have one's faults exposed; to have one's secrets blown
continuation; succession; series
to change places; to relieve one another; to replace someone
heartbroken; crestfallen; dejected; disappointed
to become; to appear like; to have a touch of; to look like
scream; shriek; shout; exclamation
to tear; to rip up; to cut up; to cleave; to forcibly separate (e.g. two lovers); (arch.) to have a tattoo in the corner of one's eye
to expand; to swell (out); to get big; to become inflated