to break down; to collapse; to fall apart
clear; obvious; evident; bright; light
slipping out (a chuckle, giggle); unintentionally (letting out a quiet laugh)
not worth doing; waste of effort
to grumble; to be unsettled; to grizzle
selfish; egoist; (arch.) self-indulgent; (arch.) wilful; (arch.) willful
placid; composed; big hearted; broad-minded; great quantity (of something)
preface; introduction; lead in (to a joke, question, etc.); lead up; payment in advance (by bank transfer); swinging (one's body) forward
thinly; slightly; vaguely; a little
right on the heels of yesterday, then today ...; soon after something, and yet now ...
puzzling; tangled; complicated; complex
to go mad; to lose one's mind; to get out of order; to go amiss; to go wrong (of a plan or expectation, etc.); to fall through
supposing; even if; granting that; temporarily; provisionally; for the time being
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
power balance; balance of power
decision; settlement; definition
to overturn; to capsize; to overthrow (government etc.); to reverse (decision etc.); to disprove (an established theory etc.)
flurried; flustered; upset; nervous; embarrassed
no matter what it takes; by any means necessary; at all costs; by hook or by crook
charm; fascination; glamour; glamor; attraction; appeal
to change; to alter; to reform; to correct; to examine; to check
high praise; great admiration; rave reviews
won't; hasn't; isn't; won't you
(short) curtain hung at shop entrance; split curtain used to divide spaces in a house; reputation (of a store); good name; goodwill
method; process; manner; way; means; technique
to be useful; to be helpful; to serve the purpose
exploitation; overuse; abuse
mode (musical mode, mode of probability distribution, state of physical system); fashion
inner part; inside; interior; depths (e.g. of a forest); back (of a house, drawer, etc.); bottom (e.g. of one's heart)
suddenly (hit); with a slap; sharply (glance, glare, etc.); fiercely; suddenly; all of a sudden
hard; solid; stiff; tight; strong; firm (not viscous or easily moved); safe
to shut; to close; to block (a street, entrance, etc.); to shut in (with snow, ice, etc.); to shut off; to consume (with negative feelings)
to stick; to paste; to stretch; to spread; to form (e.g. ice on a pond); to fill; to swell
to shut oneself in (e.g. one's room); to be confined in; to be filled with (emotion, enthusiasm, etc.); to fill the room (of a gas, smell, etc.); to be heavy with (e.g. smoke); to be muffled (e.g. voice); to hold (a castle, fortress, etc.)
only; merely; but; no more than
door handle; doorknob; door knob; knob or handle which operates the door catch
to twist; to wrench; to puzzle over; to defeat easily
skill; dexterity; proficiency
to force open; to push open