to knead; to thicken into a paste (stirring over a flame); to polish (a plan, etc.); to refine; to train; to drill; to gloss (silk)
conference; consultation; discussion; negotiation
it's probably so; it stands to reason
military force; military strength
to draw back; to sink; to be set back (e.g. from a road); to withdraw (e.g. from the public eye); to retire to (somewhere)
poor (living); barely continuing; just scraping along; very narrow
to give directions; to issue instructions
vague; ambiguous; shady; disreputable; fuzzy
convenience; accommodation; advantage; benefit; expediency
one way or the other; either way
explanation; interpretation
misconstruction; distortion; misinterpretation; misunderstanding; perversion; contortion
hard to deal with; hard to handle; difficult; trying; intractable; incorrigible
compulsion; coercion; forcing (to do); enforcement
self and others; this and that; both sides; oneself and one's opponent; he and I
appropriate; suitable; proper; fitting
stance; attitude; standpoint; stance; posture
loyalty; sincerity; allegiance; fidelity; integrity
(not) always; (not) necessarily; (not) entirely; (not) all
joint; knuckle; tune; melody; knot (in wood); node in a bamboo stem
to grow; to spring up; to sprout; to cut (teeth)
inexperienced person; incompetent person; ignoramus
to obey respectfully; to humble oneself; to sit straight (upright, respectfully, attentively)
to dodge (e.g. a question); to evade; to sidestep; to give (someone) the slip
two sly characters outfoxing each other
owl (esp. the Ural owl, Strix uralensis)
owl (esp. the Ural owl, Strix uralensis)
straight ball (pitch); direct (e.g. question); blunt
pitching; throwing a ball; bowling (in cricket); pitched ball
reversal; return; return gift; return favour (favor); barb (on a fishing hook); mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin
as you are aware; as you know
expectation; anticipation; purpose; intention; others' opinions of one; speculation
admission; (self-)acknowledgment; (self-)acknowledgement; self-identification
escape hatch; escape door
global scale; worldwide scale
towards Russia (relations, policy, etc.)
blockade; lockdown; sealing off (an area); freezing (funds)
to consent; to allow; to accept; to agree
proposal; proposition; suggestion