principle; theory; fundamental truth
to be taken aback; to be astonished; to be dumbfounded
ignition; detonation; triggering; explosion
magic; Magic Marker; felt-tip pen; magic number
trend; tendency; movement; attitude
feelings; thoughts; meaning
to use as an intermediary; to mediate; to assist; to worry; to mind; to care
floor; stage (for the narrator and the shamisen player); dining platform built across a river
to begin to write; to begin writing; to begin to draw; to begin drawing; to begin painting
to lend an ear to; to listen to
vexing; irritating; impatient
to chase; to run after; to pursue
fingertip; finger; toe tip; toe
to trace (drawing); to follow; to imitate; to copy; to reproduce
scattering; diffusion; spread (e.g. signal across the spectrum)
degree (angle, temperature, scale, etc.); counter for occurrences; strength (of glasses); glasses prescription; alcohol content (percentage); alcohol by volume; extent
(confronting a problem, etc.) head-on; directly; outright; (lit.) from the front
to pin down; to knock down; to push (and hold) somebody down (esp. with sexual connotations)
to cling to; to hang onto; to rely on; to depend on; to implore; to entreat
smallish; on the small side; somewhat small; short swing of a bat, racquet, etc.
warm; mild; (pleasantly) hot; considerate; kind; genial
to grow cold (from room temperature, e.g. in refrigerator); to get chilly; to cool down
ground; earth; the solid earth; the (vast) land
mineral dust; mine dust; fine particles; dust
root and branch; thoroughly; by the roots; completely; all
to pluck off (esp. by twisting); to pick; to break off; to wrest (away from); to wrench free; to snatch (away)
automatic turnstile (ticket gate)
to be crushed; to be squashed (flat); to be discouraged
to be torn off; to come off; to be torn to pieces; to be torn to shreds
to fly; to soar; to jump; to leap; to spatter; to scatter; to hurry
to gulp down; to swallow deeply; to understand; to take in; to engulf; to swallow up
to push up; to force up; to pressure one's superiors; to burst out (of emotions, etc.); to fill one's heart
top and bottom; high and low; going up and down; rising and falling; going and coming back; upper and lower classes
weightlessness; zero gravity
sense; sensation; feeling; intuition
to roll up; to hoist; to take away; to rip off (e.g. money from someone); to blow up (dust)