stealing a march on; getting a head start; secretly acting before others; solo raid on an enemy's camp (for glory)
to measure; to weigh; to survey; to conjecture; to infer; to surmise
potentiality; likelihood; possibility; availability
glasses; eyeglasses; spectacles; judgment; judgement; discrimination
to shift; to slide (e.g. something away from something else); to move (e.g. something out of the way); to put off; to delay; to postpone
thuddingly; plumping down (like a heavy weight)
stupid; foolish; idiotic; fool; idiot; blockhead
to take; to carry (something) away; to bear
to set one's hand to; to start work on; to embezzle; to use (money obtained in illegal fashion); to have sexual relations; to have an affair
to carry off; to run away with; to sweep away; to take entirely for oneself; to monopolize
lover; sweetheart; boyfriend; girlfriend
sauce; Worcestershire sauce
to smack one's lips (over a dish); to eat with relish
to pull oneself together; to collect oneself (after a failure); to regain control (of oneself)
reopening; resumption; restarting
examination; quiz; test; tryout; rehearsal (in filming)
query; interrogation; enquiry; question; inquiry
marks; points; score; number of items; number of articles
thoughtless; reckless; seldom; rare; ordinary; usual
nonchalantly; without a care
to overlook (a mistake, fault, etc.); to tolerate; to let pass; to give someone a break; to let someone off lightly; to be lenient
all day long; all the day; throughout the day
to feel down; to feel sad; to be in a slump (business, economy, etc.); to be in an unfavourable condition; to fall into (e.g. a hole)
since then; from that time; ever since
character (esp. kanji); letter; handwriting; penmanship; the ... word (e.g. "the L word" = "love")
to hang (something) on (something); to throw on (clothes); to hook; to catch; to cheat; to evade payment; to drink (alcohol)
somehow or other; for some reason or another; without knowing why
notebook; copy-book; note; noting down; (musical) note; laptop (computer)
unintelligible language; incoherent language; talking nonsense; "all Greek to me"; double Dutch; (something) incomprehensible
having one's hands full; not having any room to do more; at the limit
to rely on; to depend on; to count on; to turn to (for help)
I'm afraid to say; I'm sorry to say; unfortunately
disastrous; tragic; miserable; wretched; pitiful; woeful
as is; as it is; as things are; like this; this way; at this rate
failing mark (e.g. in exam)
to weather (a storm, rough seas); to ride across; to get through (adversity); to weather; to load completely (e.g. books on a shelf, people or luggage in a car)
to fold (clothes, umbrella); to close (a shop, business); to vacate
meaningfully (smiling, grinning, etc.); suggestively; broadly; sneeringly