marriage proposal; courtship
unexpected; unforeseen; inconceivable
great physical power; animal strength
to strip someone; to help someone remove (clothes)
horseback riding; sitting astride; straddling
to peel; to skin; to pare; to hull; to bare (e.g. fangs); to open wide (e.g. eyes)
chastity; virtue; fidelity
crisis; critical situation; emergency; pinch
boorish; unsophisticated; unrefined; uncouth; tasteless; insensitive
to cross the line; to go too far
trauma (usu. psychological)
happy; auspicious; propitious; naive
course (of events); development; progress; market order; order without limit
however; having said that; but
showy; brilliant; gorgeous; florid; gay
preparation; arrangements
appearing in one's finest clothes; appearing in one's hour of triumph
commemoration; celebration; honoring the memory of something; turning something into a memento; memory
quick; speedy; prompt; rapid; swift
rumor; rumour; gossip; report
betterment; improvement; kaizen (Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement)
to be in the news; to be talked about; to become a popular topic of conversation; to become the talk of the town; to become topical
one cause; one reason; one factor
visit (to a shrine, grave, etc.); worship
to be fed up (with); to be tired (of); to be stumped; to be nonplussed; to wince; to shrink back
(one's) previous marriage
to run around trying to escape; to run from place to place
crowd of people; great number of people; in great numbers
to prepare oneself for the worst; to strengthen one's resolve; to accept one's fate; to prepare oneself
day in question; appointed day; that very day; the day (of issue, publication, etc.)
at first; in the beginning; originally
to prowl after; to keep watch on
small; little; slightly less than; just about; somewhat; somehow
scoundrel; rascal; villain
complete recovery of health
requital of a favour (favor); repayment (of an obligation, kindness, etc.)
hard struggle; strenuous effort
eye; eyeball; eyesight; sight; look; stare; notice
staring (e.g. eyes); goggling; glaring
crisp; crunchy; precise; clipped; brisk