confession; acknowledgement; acknowledgment
grumbling; muttering; nonsense
to repel; to drive away; to repulse; to reject
control (of a machine, device, etc.); control (over an opponent, one's emotions, etc.); governing; management
to untie; to unfasten; to unsew; to unstitch; to solve; to work out; to dispel (misunderstanding, etc.)
to shrivel (e.g. cut vegetables, skin); to wilt; to fade; to wither; to be wizened
to wither (of a plant); to be blasted; to die; to mature (of one's personality, abilities, etc.)
to fall down; to drop; to be omitted; to be missing; to decrease; to sink; to fail (e.g. exam or class)
to arrange (flowers); to plant; living; live
to crack; to develop a crack
to be worm-eaten; to be eaten by worms; to affect adversely; to spoil; to ruin
nature; property; disposition
feature; trait; characteristic; peculiarity; distinction
cannot (due to external circumstances); cannot afford to; must not; impossible to; no way one can (do)
small build; small stature; petite; small pattern
to pass from one's lips; to escape one's lips
to pass (time); to spend; to overdo (esp. of one's alcohol consumption); to drink (alcohol); (arch.) to take care of; (arch.) to support
talking in delirium; incoherent muttering
originator; ringleader; perpetrator; main culprit; person responsible
betrayer; traitor; turncoat; informer
with a start; with a jump
to freeze (from fear, etc.); to be unable to move (e.g. from surprise); to be paralyzed (with horror, etc.); to cower; to shrink in on oneself
how dare ...; how could ...
to deceive; to delude; to trick; to be as ... as ... (e.g. "as bright as day", "as beautiful as a rose")
to trick; to cheat; to deceive; to coax; to wheedle; to soothe and humor (humour)
to freeze to; to be frozen to; to freeze in place; to be still
quickly (esp. actions); suddenly (esp. wind, rain, etc.)
looking on; remaining a spectator
to act as an intermediary; to step in; to come between; to intervene; to interject
some time ago; recently; lately; last (Sunday, etc.); previous
to tell; to (try to) persuade; to advise; to warn; to admonish; to reason
pointing out; identification
to remonstrate; to admonish (someone) for; to advise (someone) not to; to warn against
that's the way it is; such is life
dangerous; in danger; facing imminent danger; precarious (situation); perilous (state, balance, etc.); in doubt
(if) by some chance; by some possibility; in the unlikely event that; (unlikely event of) emergency; the worst(-case scenario)
in preparation (for); in case (of); in the lead-up (to)
foreshadowing; preparation; precautionary measures
to rush on; to attack; to swoop down on