after an interval of ... years; for the first time in ... years
candidate; contender; prospect; candidacy; candidature; nomination
warm welcome; friendly reception; hospitality; entertainment
the very best; excellent; superb
wait-and-see (situation, stance, etc.); waiting to see (how things play out); watching developments (before acting)
to draw an arc (e.g. with a compass); to describe an arc (e.g. through the air)
with a clatter; with a rattle; empty; bare; raspy (voice); gravelly; with a gargle
coach (horse-drawn); carriage; wagon; cart
highway (esp. one existing from the Edo period); main road; highway (e.g. to success); path (to becoming ...); subdistrict (in China)
large; big; great; prominent; -sized; as big as; university
paving (a road); surfacing (with asphalt, concrete, etc.); pavement
to come and go; to go back and forth
coming and going; traffic; road; street; association; socializing
to die out; to peter out; to become extinct; to cease; to be stopped; to be discontinued
to become animated; to liven up; to become active
orderly; regular; systematic; well-organized; well-organised; trim
middle; centre; center; midpoint; heart
splendour; splendor; pompousness; magnificence
rank (of troops); file; column; formation
to smile cheerfully; to crack a smile
to hang one's head; to droop one's head
to choke; to have trouble breathing
bustling; busy; crowded; lively (party, voices, etc.); loud; noisy
to hang (something) on the wall
picture; drawing; painting; image (TV, film, etc.); picture; footage
wearisome; insipid; dull; irksome; wretched; vain
odour; odor; scent; aura; whiff; smacks of ...
every day; daily; day after day; days (e.g. good old days)
to erase; to drown out (e.g. a voice); to make disappear
originally; essentially; naturally; in the first place; to begin with
to nod one's head; to nod yes; to agree
(it was) no bother at all; not at all; it was nothing
malicious; ill-tempered; unkind
to be peevish; to sulk; to pout
to grant (request, wish); to answer (prayer); to fulfill (conditions); to meet (requirements)
to be unreasonable; to whine; to act like a baby
to sow seeds; to sow the seeds of ... (e.g. conflict)