missing (of a person); lost; unaccounted for; whereabouts unknown
event; affair; incident; case; plot; trouble
class (of students); group (of people); party; lot; bunch; crime family; organized-crime syndicate
to tidy up; to put in order; to settle (problem); to clear (dispute); to finish; to bring something to an end
unfeeling; heartless; cold-hearted; cruel
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
remote place; backcountry; the sticks; hinterland
to come along; to come around; to turn up; to arrive at the present; to get where one is; to have been doing something (for a period of time)
idly; sluggishly; doing nothing
search (esp. for someone or something missing); manhunt; legally authorized search of a person, building, etc.
fearfully; timidly; nervously; cautiously; gingerly
to stray from the right path; to go wrong; to go off the rails; to turn delinquent
now that you mention it; come to think of it; that reminds me; on that subject; speaking of which
well-informed person; walking dictionary; extensive knowledge
matter; affair; counter for (received) emails, text messages, voicemail messages, etc.; counter for accounts (on a website, email service, etc.)
being frustrated because something is not quite as hoped (just as one cannot scratch an itch from outside a shoe); having an itch that one cannot scratch
under-shoulder swing-down; technique of grasping the arm of the opponent, the moment he comes forward, while stepping out of line and pushing down on the shoulder blade with the other hand, thus pulling him down; dodging; parrying (questions); disappointment; letdown
self control; self restraint
competition; rivalry; something worth doing
when it comes to ...; if one were to speak of ...; by ... you mean ...; when you say ... you mean that ...; whenever ...; if it's ... then (without fail)
to accomplish; to finish; to carry through; to follow through
attitude; posture; preparedness; readiness
to put in order; to arrange; to get ready; to prepare; to work out (e.g. business deal); to arrange (e.g. marriage)
on the way back; returning
itinerary; travel plans; distance (of a trip); journey
train (esp. long distance train); steam train
riding together; fellow passenger; joint partnership
to stop by; to drop in for a short visit
chair; stool; post; office; position
backboard; dorsal plate; tergum
creak; squeak; creaking sound
inside a car (train, bus, etc.)
ascent; climbing; up-train; train heading toward the starting point of its route; upbound (esp. toward Tokyo); upstream
to scatter; to disseminate (e.g. a rumor); to spread (e.g. germs); to distribute widely (e.g. leaflets); to hand out freely; to spend recklessly
to board; to embark on; to get into (a car); to march into; to enter
route (bus, train, air, etc.); line; line (taken by a group, organization, etc.); policy; course
whereabouts; country; one's home village; one's residence
something; something or other; so-and-so; somehow; anyhow; one way or another
old tale; folk tale; legend; reminiscence