congress; parliament; diet; legislative assembly
New Year's holiday; period encompassing the close of the old year and the start of the New Year
outstanding; excellent; exceptional; preeminence; distinction; extraordinariness
slowly (but steadily); gradually; irritatedly; impatiently; scorchingly (of the sun); sizzling (i.e. sound of frying in oil); sound of a warning bell, alarm clock, etc.
defeat; loss; reverse; setback
following (in the footsteps of); catching up with; coming level with
spirit; soul; drive; vigor; vigour
optimism; taking an optimistic view
starting line; starting point
gear; speed (e.g. 4-speed transmission)
decisive moment; turning point; critical moment; win-or-bust situation
surrender; submission; capitulation; being defeated (e.g. by a problem); giving up; giving in
boo! (sound used to scare someone); ugh (dissatisfaction, aggravation); ulp (consternation)
high-end; high end; high level
error of judgment; miscalculation
mockery; derision; ridicule
characteristic quality; special character; one's function; one's duty; fief; inherited estate
all bark and no bite; unable to live up to one's claims
weak point; weakness; shortcoming; defect; flaw; sore spot
arrogance; haughtiness; conceitedness
to pull apart; to separate; to have a lead over; to pull ahead of; to outdistance
identification papers; ID; piece of identification; identity document
barrier; checkpoint; gateway; hurdle; obstacle; trial
blind spot (e.g. of a driver); dead angle; dead ground; dead space
a matter of course; what is to be expected; par for the course
to have guts; to be plucky; to have nerves of steel
promotion of industry; inauguration of a new industrial enterprise
morning; forenoon; just before noon
to attach; to join; to furnish (a house with); to wear; to put on; to keep a diary; to make an entry
the three most important cities (esp. in ref. to Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya)
(present) head of a family
celebrated personage; big-wig; person in a high position
senility; dotage; decrepitude