professor; teaching; instruction
gulping down (a drink); guzzling; chugging; sloshing around (of liquid in one's stomach)
past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
hard to please; moody; crusty; fastidious
straight-laced person; stubborn person
contract; compact; agreement
accepting an order; receiving an order; orders received
all companies; each company
feeling uneasy; very worried; very anxious; on tenterhooks; on pins and needles
to telephone; to make a phone call
chief; main; principal; major
sour (expression); (lit.) as if having swallowed a bitter bug
unpleasant; disgusting; loathsome; shameful; scandalous
grizzled; (hair) streaked with grey (gray)
bulky and heavy; massive; solid; dignified; imposing; composed
intimidating air; sense of intimidation
refrigerator; cold; cool; cold sake
lukewarm; tepid; lenient; (arch.) slow; (arch.) stupid
(right at the) side; just beside
brutal (atmosphere, society, etc.); savage; fierce; violent; bloodthirsty; stark
research thesis; treatise
straight ball (pitch); direct (e.g. question); blunt
to leave word with (a person); to state in one's will; to leave (something) unsaid; to forget to mention
(walk) briskly; at a brisk pace; quickly
to bring out (the effect of); to put to good use; to make use of (e.g. threats); to use (tact, wit, etc.); to exercise; to display
to recommend; to endorse (e.g. a candidate); to infer (from); to deduce; to think (something) through; to ponder deeply
imperfect; incomplete; faulty; defective
satisfaction; contentment; sufficient; satisfactory; satisfying (an equation)
overbearing; coercive; pushy; forcible; high-handed
to pretend not to see; to turn one's back on
as you were; return to your original position!; er, rather
as expected; predictably; not surprisingly
to give and take; to make mutual concessions; to compromise
parallel lines; remaining far apart (e.g. in discussions); not reaching an agreement
clear; obvious; evident; bright; light
(in the) neighbourhood; neighborhood; around; about; for instance; say
reservation; putting on hold; deferment
in its entirety; whole; wholly
barefaced (e.g. lie); shameless; transparent; pure white; very clear
sense of emptiness; empty feeling; feeling of meaninglessness