to cut off the head of a sleeping person; to assassinate someone while they sleep; to catch someone off their guard by setting traps
unexpectedly; surprisingly; unexpected; unanticipated; unforeseen
petty; small-minded; stingy; poor (performance, etc.); bad; unskilled
to feel around for; to fumble for; to investigate; to probe into; to explore (parts unknown); to enjoy (natural beauty)
feather; plume; wing; blade (of a fan, propeller, etc.); shuttlecock (in badminton); shuttlecock (in hanetsuki); arrow feathers
for the first time in one's life
wild; unruly; arrogant; endless (e.g. spending); uncontrolled; rampant (e.g. weeds)
axis; shaft; center; centre; stalk; stem
to shave (wood, leather, etc.); to sharpen (e.g. pencil); to cut down (budget, expenses, staff, time, etc.); to curtail; to delete; to erase
writing brush; paintbrush; writing with a brush; drawing with a brush; writing (composing text); the written word
instead of; in place of; as a substitute for; in exchange for; in return for; to make up for
gradually; steadily; slowly; little by little; step by step; by degrees
rolling over; turning over; turning around (the other way); reversal (of direction, course, etc.); producing a positive from a negative (photography); producing a negative from a positive
interruption; suspension; break
irritation; annoyance; frustration
to get used to; to grow accustomed to; to become skilled in; to become experienced at; to become tame; to become domesticated
to understand; to make out
simple; plain; uncomplicated; straightforward; simple-minded; naive
to lock up; to shut up; to imprison
if you think about it; come to think of it
to place persons opposite; to come face to face with; to compare (with); to check (against); to match
how it came about; how it originated; how it happened; the origins of the imbroglio
(one) matter; (one) item; (one) case
to investigate thoroughly; to examine closely; to probe into; to be obsessed with a thought; to brood over; to worry about
root (of a plant); stump (of a tree); root (of a problem, etc.); base
pretending not to see something; turning a blind eye to; burying one's head in the sand
difference; distinction; discrepancy; mistake; error
to part (usu. of people); to part from; to separate (of a couple); to break up; to lose (e.g. one's mother); to be bereaved
to run to; to come running; to rush (someplace); to hasten
isn't it?; let's ...; why don't we ...; how about we ...
secret; private; surreptitious
to be relieved; to feel relieved
way of speaking; intimation
even; for starters; so; therefore; judging from; based on
does not seem; unlikely; improbable
the whole body; the five styles of writing Chinese characters; the five parts of the body (head, two hands and two feet; or head, neck, chest, hands and feet)
to take back; to regain; to get back; to recover
pitiful; unfortunate; poor; unpardonable; regrettable
quarrel; argument; row; (verbal) dispute
to drive into (e.g. a nail into a board); to hit into (e.g. a home run into the stands); to throw into (e.g. jail); to drum into (someone) (an idea, skill, etc.); to hammer into