bell signalling that work, class, etc. will formally begin shortly; first bell; warning bell
skipping out; cutting class; truancy; procrastination
to ask for permission (before doing something); to ask first
something to think about; one's thoughts; concern; thinking about something; being absorbed in one's thoughts
present age; present day; today; modern era; modern times
fixed; settled; constant; definite; uniform; regularized
fall; tumble; spill; degradation; comedown; demotion
all of a sudden; suddenly; by chance; unexpectedly
scenery; scene; landscape
still; even now; to this day
clearing one's throat; cough
with my own (two) eyes; with these very eyes
to surprise; to frighten; to create a stir
not just once; more than once; many times; again and again
two times; twice; two degrees
to have a bad time; to go through a bitter experience; to get into trouble; to get hurt; to suffer
to be a matter of life or death
like this; in this way; as you see
chance; start; cue; excuse; motive; impetus
with ... as a start; taking advantage of; inspired by
woven mat (of sedge, hay, etc.)
to go too far; to go to excess
difficult; tough; formidable; redoubtable; stubborn
to find out; to discover; to locate
to regain one's footing; to get back on one's feet; to recover; (of the market) to improve
to exhaust one's vocabulary (in trying to persuade somebody or explain something, etc.); to run out of words; to be verbose; to cajole; to talk someone's head off
troubled face; worried expression
one's youth; early life; one's early days; one's early years
to slip out; to sneak away; to break into the lead; to get ahead; to begin to fall out (e.g. hair); to break out (of a loop)
to board; to embark on; to get into (a car); to march into; to enter
short trip; brief journey; excursion
overserious; deeply sincere; very earnest
lodger who pays nothing for room and board; freeloader; sponger
counter for people (usu. seating, reservations and such); first name; famous; great; name; noun
to succeed; to relieve; to take the place of; to substitute for; to be exchanged; to change (places with)
to get fed up with; to get sick of; to become disgusted with
to send out; to forward; to show (a person) out
that way; that direction; that (one); that person; there; over there
studies; schoolwork; classwork
meanwhile; in the meantime; by the same token; in contrast
to be rested; to feel at ease; to repose; to be relieved