a few years ago; some years back
missing (of a person); lost; unaccounted for; whereabouts unknown
plot; intrigue; scheme; conspiracy; agreement between two or more people to commit an unlawful act
to smell; to smell of; to have a smell
to show contempt for; to look down upon; to have a low opinion of; to cause to fall; to make decline
official; governmental; public (use, matter, forum, etc.); common; being public knowledge; being out in the open
brother-in-law (spouse's older brother or older sister's husband); older stepbrother
to worry about (someone's welfare or comfort); to feel anxious about; to have apprehensions of
I fear that it's likely that; with all due respect
fruit grown near the tip of the vine (hence stunted and unripe); weak-looking fellow; pale-faced man; pasty-faced man
to pull (the puppet) strings; to direct things from behind the scenes; to stretch out (and keep going); to linger on
wise; sagacious; intelligent; sensible
respect; esteem; reverence; honour; honor
ringleader; main culprit; main cause; source
exile; banishment; eviction; elimination (e.g. of poverty); removal
to escape (disaster, death, etc.); to be saved from; to be rescued from; to avoid (e.g. punishment); to evade (e.g. responsibility); to avert
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
chance; start; cue; excuse; motive; impetus
child prodigy; infant genius; wonder child
master; expert; expert board game player (chess, go, shogi, etc.)
to show respect for; to revere; to honour; to honor; to worship; to hold in esteem
perfect; perfection; perfect game
to be too much for one; to find unmanageable; to be beyond one's control; to not know what to do with
half out of interest; mostly out of curiosity
rough-hewn; incomplete; unrefined; still in the process of being formed
disposition; temperament; nature; mentality; spirit; character
friend; companion; comrade; accompaniment; companion (e.g. book); complement
rumor that appears to be quite true (rumour)
to put on weight; to gain weight; to grow fat; to get stout
body; physique; build; stature
large and rough; big and tough; unrefined; rustic; extreme; excessive
contraband; taboo; strictly forbidden
to sense; to suspect; to get an inkling (of something); to get wind of; to smell (e.g. danger); to become aware of (e.g. a plot)
close (e.g. in terms of relationship); intimate
use; utilization; utilisation; application
to snatch from; to steal from