evolution; evolution; becoming more advanced; progress
French food; French cooking; French cuisine
French; French food; French cuisine
excellent article; fine item; rare beauty; masterpiece; gem
speciality; specialty; special subject of study; sole interest; single focus; concentrating exclusively on
tasting (food or drink) for poison; checking the taste (of a dish); seeing how something tastes
inspection; examination; survey
pie; tart; palmier (pastry)
(loaf of) bread; bread in a rectangular shape
how; in what way; by what means
the vertical; height; front-to-back; length; north-to-south; vertical (relationship)
handmade; handcrafted; homemade; homegrown
ready-made goods; off-the-shelf item
guardian; protector; patron; parent
high-pressure selling; aggressive peddling; the hard sell; forcing on someone (e.g. kindness)
patience; endurance; perseverance
will; resolution; kindness; goodwill; gift (as a token of gratitude)
to envision how things will turn out (usu. unfortunate); to have foresight; to be able to see the future
Bushido; samurai code of chivalry
personification; impersonation; embodiment
to play around; to gallivant about
transcendence; excellence; superiority; super; extremely; awfully
bulletin board; display board; notice board; electronic bulletin board; BBS
number (in a series); (one's) turn; watch; guard; rank; standing; bout
professional killer; hit man
careful; cautious; prudent; discreet; deliberate
to go ahead; to proceed; to carry on
to join hands; to join forces; to work in cooperation; to link up; to partner with
core member; hardcore member
big fan (of something or someone); great fan
seeing two people (i.e. romantically) at the same time; two-timing; bifurcation; fork; fence-sitting; playing it both ways
capture (of enemy territory); taking (by storm); defeating (an opponent); attacking (a problem) strategically; strategy; tactics
most attractive feature (of a person)
large pink (Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus); woman who displays the feminine virtues of old Japan
unaffected and sincere, with fortitude and vigor (vigour)
splendid; magnificent; gorgeous
singing one's own praises; praising one's own wares
shady; underhanded; questionable