medicine; pharmaceuticals; efficacious chemical (gunpowder, pesticide, etc.); (pottery) glaze; (illegal) drug; narcotic
whatever the case; under any circumstances
out of the blue; all of a sudden; without warning; unexpectedly
to ask a question; to ask questions
one's weak point; one's sore spot; raw nerve
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it; I mean
with a bump; with a clunk; yelp (e.g. of a fox); bark; howl
program (e.g. TV); programme
to doubt; to think (something is) doubtful; to wonder; to be suspicious
old; aged; long; since long ago; of the distant past; long-ago
custom; convention; common practice; (arch.) becoming accustomed (to)
period; epoch; the times; those days; oldness; ancientness
-ical; -ive; -like; -ish; (something) like; along the lines of
difficult; hard; impossible; unfeasible; fussy; particular; gloomy
explanation; exposition; description; account; caption; legend
to crunch; to masticate; to simplify; to explain plainly
essence; true nature; substance; reality
outline; main points; generally; on the whole; general; rough
what with this and that; for a number of reasons
to have been decided (so) that; to have been arranged (so) that; to be the result (of); to be the outcome; to be the reason (for)
to be hard pressed; to be at a loss; to become poor; to be reduced to poverty
change; transition; vicissitudes
to descend (e.g. a mountain); to go down; to alight (e.g. from bus); to get off; to step down; to retire; to be granted
established; existing; accomplished; accepted; completed
frame; framework; border; box; limit; restriction; category
to be caught; to be captured; to be taken prisoner; to be seized with (fear, etc.); to be a slave to; to stick to
(providing) covering fire; supporting (backing up) someone (in a debate or argument)
in; at; on; as for; regarding; with regards to
system; institution; organization; organisation
establishment; settlement
present age; present day; today; modern era; modern times
many problems; various problems
hot (thing); passionate (feelings, etc.); ardent; hot (e.g. temper); zealous; enthusiastic; intense
(approximate) time; around; suitable time (or condition); time of year; season
to serve; to work for; to attend
cup (drinking vessel, measure, brassiere, prize, etc.)
to incline; to lean; to devote oneself to; to concentrate on; to ruin; to squander
first of all; at once; right away; for now; for the time being
wedded life; married life
usual; ordinary; normal; regular; general; common
to compare; to make a comparison; to compete; to vie