middle stage; middle phase; middle game; midfield (in soccer)
favourable; favorable; doing well; OK; all right
one o'clock; once; at one time; for a time; for a while; a time
to shorten the distance (between); to close the gap (e.g. on the leader); to get closer (e.g. to someone); to close in (on)
to run out of breath; to get breathless; to get puffed (out)
reaching; attaining; arrival
self-deprecation; self-derision; self-mockery; laughing at oneself
regarding ...; concerning ...; about ...; on ...; with respect to ...; in regard to ...
natural; reasonable; obvious; usual; common; ordinary
to be confusing; to be different from what one is used to
important; serious; valuable; precious; serious matter; major incident
high and low speed; fast and slow; lenience and severity; emergency; crisis
to attach; to join; to furnish (a house with); to wear; to put on; to keep a diary; to make an entry
gear; speed (e.g. 4-speed transmission)
in an instant; in a flash; in the blink of an eye; in no time at all; just like that
to be crushed; to be squashed; to go bankrupt; to go under; to be ruined (of a plan); to be cancelled; to be lost (of one's voice, eyesight, sense of smell, etc.)
movement; move; motion; trend; development; change
to read; to recite (e.g. a sutra); to chant; to predict; to guess; to pronounce; to read (e.g. a kanji)
easy; likely to ...; have a tendency to ...; easy to ...
desirable prey; easy game; easy mark; easy prey; easy target
to place on (something); to give (someone) a ride; to give a lift; to load (luggage); to carry; to send out (on the airwaves, etc.); to deceive
loose; lenient; lax; gentle (curve, slope, etc.); slow; weak; soft
sudden; abrupt; urgent; pressing; steep; sharp; rapid
effect; effectiveness; efficacy; effects (e.g. sound effects, visual effects, special effects)
tremendous; immense; enormous; colossal; stupendous; huge
exquisite; superb; perfect; miraculous
to watch to the end; to ascertain; to determine; to know thoroughly; to obtain a deep understanding of
to want; to wish for; to request; to demand; to seek; to search for
important; essential; significant; major; key; principal
nature; disposition; temperament; qualities; attributes; talents
to fix; to settle; to standardize; constant; definite; uniform
to keep; to preserve; to hold; to last; to endure; to keep well (food)
desirable; hoped for; preferable; advisable
raising and lowering; fluctuation (of prices, interest rates, etc.); praising and belittling; setting out (meals, etc.) and clearing away; ebb and flow (of the tide); rising and falling (pitch, tone, etc.); modulation
necessary; needed; essential; necessity; need; requirement
maintenance; preservation; improvement
exactly the opposite (of); completely opposite; quite contrary
to come to the point; to get straight to the point; to speak frankly; to speak plainly; to talk straight
good position; favourable situation
exhaustion; consumption; using up; dissipation; waste
bargaining; haggling; tactics; strategy; (tactical) advance or retreat of troops