becoming a mere shell; becoming a dead letter; losing (one's) substance; being reduced to a formality
cannot do a thing; feeling handcuffed; being at the end of one's tether; being at one's wit's end
gossip; corner of the mouth
left utterly helpless (e.g. by a curt reply or refusal); have no one to turn to; unapproachable
discussion; talk; tête-à-tête; conference
uncomfortable feeling; feeling out of place; sense of discomfort; malaise; physical unease
actually; in fact; as a matter of fact
eagerly (waiting); (waiting) impatiently
after all; in the end; anyway; (cannot) possibly; (not) at all; (not) by any means
omniscience and omnipotence
plot; scheme; trick; design; intrigue; artifice
to see through; to see into (someone's heart, mind, etc.); to perceive; to find out; to detect
without cause; without reason
to quarry; to cut (timber); to cut and carry off; to select and extract (from a media file); to splice out
stern; grave; solemn; sobersided
immediate reply; quick answer; ready agreement
outstanding; excellent; exceptional; preeminence; distinction; extraordinariness
full; wholehearted; utmost; overall width
felling timber; cutting down trees; logging; lumbering
engaging in (work); pursuing (e.g. studies); following (a profession); being involved in
bento; Japanese box lunch
small tool; gadget; (stage) properties; prop; prop master
lunch; noon; midday; daytime; waking up; getting up
manufacturing; processing; treatment; machining
cheerfully; buoyantly; happily; in high spirits
outline; summary; overview; synopsis; abstract; abridgment
something heard for the first time; hearing something for the first time
to be shy; to be bashful; to look shy
clever; shrewd; crafty; cunning; pretentious; impertinent
depending on; as soon as; immediately after; as (e.g. "as one is told", "as one wishes"); whatever (e.g. "whatever is at hand"); order; program
the usual; as it always is; said; that (previously-mentioned person or object); (arch.) in the usual way
magic bullet; magic bullets
errand; mission; messenger; bearer; familiar spirit; use
if anything; conversely; putting it the other way around; coming at it from the opposite angle
grounds; foundation; authority; support; prop; something upon which to rely
without authority; without reason; unnecessarily; recklessly; indiscriminately
to attract attention; to come into the limelight
to have a go; to try and do (something); to take a chance with something
bread; (sweet) pastry; staff of life; one's bread
in the style of (esp. literary, artistic, etc. works); reminiscent of; attached or stretched on
such; like that; that sort of; very