stimulus; impetus; incentive; encouragement; motivation; provocation
halfway up (down) a mountain; mountainside
other people's affairs; somebody else's problem
specific; particular; designated; specifying; designating; identifying
to pick up; to adopt (e.g. a proposal); to accept; to take away; to confiscate; to deliver (a baby)
strange disease; rare disease
feeling uneasy; very worried; very anxious; on tenterhooks; on pins and needles
mark; guide; purpose; aim; sight (on a firearm)
remarkably; noticeably; considerably; appreciably
to have rumors going around (rumours); to have rumors spread
indeterminate form; undefined; indefinite; unstructured
to screw up; to put the screws on (a person); to constrict (someone, something)
have no choice; there is nothing but; no more than
incomprehensible; mysterious; inexplicable; inscrutable; enigmatic; baffling
every day; daily; day after day; days (e.g. good old days)
to multiply; to crossbreed; to cross-breed; to cross
to lean over (someone); to bend over; to lean on; to weigh on one; to bear (heavily) on one; to lie on one
strong pressure; heavy pressure
better; preferable; more; increase; (arch.) increase; (arch.) growth
recognition; acquaintance
to jar; to creak; to grate
gradually; steadily; slowly; little by little; step by step; by degrees
to be crushed; to be squashed (flat); to be discouraged
crevice; crack; spare moment; interval; chink (in one's armor, armour); unpreparedness
chest and stomach; one's innermost being
poison; toxicant; harm; evil influence; ill will; spite
to pour into; to wash down; to insert (e.g. into a data stream)
common sense; good sense; common knowledge; general knowledge; common practice; accepted practice
hoop (of a barrel, bucket, etc.)
to rot; to go bad; to corrode; to weather; to become useless; to blunt; to become depraved
one's inmost thoughts (feelings)
alteration (of character or essence); change in quality; transformation; deterioration; degeneration; transmutation
gradually (progress into a state); in sequence; in order; in turn
to be convinced (that); to be under the impression (that); to make up one's mind; to set one's heart on; to be obsessed (with a thought, idea, etc.); to think about obsessively
to raise; to raise up; to wake; to wake up; to cause; to bring about; to start
wrong impression; subjective impression; assumption; prejudice
amplification (elec.); magnification; amplification; making larger
creak; squeak; creaking; discord; strife; friction
passage (of time); elapsing; progress; development; transit
hearing (of a statement, opinion, explanation, etc.); asking; questioning (e.g. a suspect); listening (e.g. to the radio)
to have a cramp; to be pulled too tight