tatami mat; Japanese straw floor coverings
to return (something); to restore; to turn over; to turn upside down; to pay back; to retaliate; to respond (with)
to be lifted; to be raised; to happen suddenly; to occur; to be homeroom teacher for the same class multiple years in a row; to move up with one's class
extempore; impromptu; improvised; ad-lib; off-the-cuff; instant
shield; buckler; escutcheon; pretext
to keep someone from doing; to stop; to prevent; to check; to hinder; to obstruct
to fly around; to scatter
to be taken aback; to be astonished; to be dumbfounded
backward glance; sidelong glance; faceless ghost with an eye in its rump
to turn on one's heel; to turn back; to return
even a little; any at all; if only a little; no matter how little
to distance oneself (from); to keep (something or someone) at a distance; to maintain a distance (from)
encirclement; encircling net; tight besiegement
to run away; to flee; to make off; to start to run away
lasting long; continuation; keeping at (something); sticking to (something)
to pull oneself together; to collect oneself (after a failure); to regain control (of oneself)
some people; a few people; several people
leg strength; walking ability; running ability
contrary to expectations; or so we thought, but ...
floor above; floor upstairs
to scatter; to disseminate (e.g. a rumor); to spread (e.g. germs); to distribute widely (e.g. leaflets); to hand out freely; to spend recklessly
three times (as much); treble; triple; threefold
to force; to compel; to coerce; to press; to impose
one person; being alone; being by oneself; being single; being unmarried; by oneself
it's different when ... but; it's not so bad when ... but
unhurt; uninjured; flawless (e.g. gem); unblemished; spotless (e.g. reputation); faultless (e.g. performance)
escape; break-out; prolapse; proptosis
to feel (as if); to have a feeling (that); to have a hunch (that); to feel like doing; to want to do
way out; means to escape; escape route
won't; hasn't; isn't; won't you
gap; break; pause; interval; cut; incision
frantic; frenetic; inevitable death; brinkmate (inevitable checkmate)
to play (a stringed or keyboard instrument)
to make a sound; to give off a sound; to hear a sound
saying "Ah!"; making one say "Ah!"; surprisingly; astonishingly
proximity; nearness; soon; nearby
thermos bottle; vacuum flask
to squash; to crush; to flatten
pointed end; tip; point; forefront; vanguard; spearhead