cutting edge; leading edge; forefront; tip; end
striding; swaggering; strutting; lording it over others; throwing one's weight around; acting as if one owns the place
to mistake (A for B); to misread
that's a different matter; that's a different story
several times; a few times
each time it happens; at all such times
to fabricate; to invent; to make up (a story); to cobble together; to put together (in a slapdash manner)
to force one's way through
once in a lifetime; the first and last occurrence (event, experience) of one's lifetime
standing close together; bristling (with)
personal identification number; PIN; password number
sudden; abrupt; unexpected; unforeseen
crying in sympathy; infectious crying
lack of ability; inadequacy; (being) out of one's depth
unqualified; without qualifications
stand-offish; distant; not frank; watery (alcohol, coffee, etc.)
lots of; a ton of; a mountain of; piles of; heaps of; so many
cannot avoid doing; cannot help but (do); is compelled to do; (feel) obliged to (do); has to do
endless; boundless; innumerable; endless; never-ending; going on forever
before one's eyes; under one's nose; immediate (e.g. interests); present; foresight; near future
to lose completely; to waste; to let slip away
shorthanded; short of hands; undermanned; insufficient (stock, money, etc.); in short supply; low
right in the middle (of); midst; height
appointment (to a position, job, etc.); being used for a role; promotion
insurrection; mutiny; rebellion; revolt; uprising
to be astonished to hear; to be incredulous about; to express disbelief; who do you think you're kidding by saying (that); what a laugh!
imprudence; indiscretion; thoughtlessness
shallow; superficial; thoughtless; short-sighted; foolish; silly
exit; way out; outlet; vent
direct line; direct communication; connecting directly; through service; nonstop service
to act as one; to act in concert; to keep pace; to stay in step
fine (grain, workmanship, etc.); close (weave); delicate; precise; accurate; careful
to get back to normal; to get back into one's stride; to get back into the swing of it
to permeate (of a stain, smell, etc.); to become ingrained; to become embedded; to become a deeply ingrained habit; to become second nature
far beyond one's power; not at all equal; no match for
the "ha" column of the Japanese syllabary table (ha, hi, fu, he, ho)
to stick; to paste; to stretch; to spread; to form (e.g. ice on a pond); to fill; to swell
ninja house; ninja residence
enemy territory; hostile place
God only knows what may happen
the point of ...; the place where ...; a place called ...; places known as ...; I would say ...; ... is how I'd put it
operation; functioning; running