to lose (something); to mislay; to get rid of; to eliminate; to remove
uneasy; unsure; unreliable; untrustworthy; (arch.) nervous; (arch.) impatient
to bring; to take; to bring about
dull (e.g. a knife); blunt; thickheaded; obtuse; dull (sound, color, etc.); dim (light)
reality; actuality; hard fact
to soften; to moderate; to relieve
aichmophobia (fear of sharply pointed objects); belonephobia
nakedness; nudity; bareness; nakedness; being penniless; concealing nothing
angular; angular-shaped; sharp-pointed
to approach; to draw near; to be imminent; to press (someone for something); to urge; to compel
addict; dependent (person)
to rot; to go bad; to corrode; to weather; to become useless; to blunt; to become depraved
dealing with; coping with
non-drinker; someone who cannot drink
tough; strong; stiff; tenacious
but then; although; though; reasonable; natural; just
woman; female; feminine gender
or something; for instance ... (though there are other suitable options); ... or ...; as soon as; right after; while still
medicinal poisoning; chemical poisoning; drug poisoning; drug addiction
at any rate; in any event; either way; anyway
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
barrier; checkpoint; gateway; hurdle; obstacle; trial
expectation; anticipation; prediction; forecast; conjecture
to prepare oneself for the worst; to strengthen one's resolve; to accept one's fate; to prepare oneself
standing by; awaiting an opportunity; being on alert
background knowledge; prerequisite knowledge
to fish; to look for; to search for; to go on a spree (spending, reading, etc.); to binge
nature; natural; spontaneous; naturally; spontaneously
to play dumb; to feign ignorance; to play the fool; to be in one's dotage
knowing only too well; being fully aware of
worst; horrible; horrid; in the worst case; if worst comes to worst
work; book; (a book) by; obvious; striking
book; document; calligraphy (esp. Chinese); penmanship; handwriting; letter
science; learning; scholarship; arts and sciences; academic pursuits