to curry favour (with); to play up (to); to cozy up (to); to butter up
desperately; for one's dear life
conscious; deliberate; intentional
to force; to compel; to coerce; to press; to impose
candidate; contender; prospect; candidacy; candidature; nomination
to joke; to jest; to make fun of; to laugh at; to romp; to gambol
to draw the conclusion that ...; to conclude
in short; in a word; to sum up; to put it simply; to make a long story short; after all
support; participation; assistance; complicity; conspiracy
snake in one's bosom; treacherous friend
type of cleromancy divination (described in the Book of Changes) performed with long sticks; The Book of Changes; Yijing; I Ching
sample; specimen; pattern; model; example
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
Herculean task; next-to-impossible undertaking
to leak out (a secret); to be exposed (a lie, improper behaviour, etc.); to be found out; to get away (of fish)
This isn't over; I will get my revenge
ditch; drain; gutter; trench
putting one's life on the line; staking one's life (on); risking one's life; life and death situation
hound; hunting dog; running dog; dupe; tool of another person; cat's-paw
to be degraded; to come down in the world; to lose status; to be ruined; to fall low
dignity; majesty; sanctity
honest; frank; candid; honestly; frankly
long (time that has passed); old (story)
regret; chagrin; mortification; freedom from obstructive thoughts
to be submerged; to be soaked; to be pickled; to be well seasoned; to be totally immersed (in a condition, e.g. laziness)
various; varied; diverse; all sorts of
to take measures; to work out a plan; to lecture; to read aloud; to confer
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
previous day; day before; eve; prior day; preceding day
to measure; to weigh; to survey; to conjecture; to infer; to surmise
unexpectedly; surprisingly
tiny amount (degree, extent); paltry amount; slightest bit
to be smeared; to be covered
to reward; to recompense; to repay; to retaliate; to get revenge
sneakily; secretly; stealthily; on the sly
to shorten; to reduce; to crumple (fabric); to wrinkle; to make (one's body) smaller; to draw in (one's legs)
physical condition; state of health
to return to normal; to revert to the starting point; to go back to how it was
slowly; unhurriedly; easily (e.g. in time); well; well (e.g. sleep); comfortably
to wield; to brandish; to display (one's knowledge); to show off; to abuse (one's power); to manipulate someone