funny story; funny anecdote
fortunate error; lucky break; fluke
to learn by experience; to learn one's lesson; to learn the hard way; to be discouraged (by); to have enough (of); to be disgusted (with)
to blow (of the wind); to blow (one's breath); to breathe out; to play (a wind instrument); to blow (a whistle, trumpet, etc.); to emit (smoke, fire, etc.); to spout
death from disease; death from illness
possible; conceivable; likely; probable
chance; start; opportunity; cause; reason; excuse
abnormal; unusual; extraordinary; remarkable; uncommon
appropriate; suitable; fitting; apt; proper; right
nothing; naught; nought; un-; non-
to rise; to swell; to intensify; to increase; to grow stronger; to get higher
very; greatly; much; just about to; almost; very nearly
to swing; to sway; to shake; to waver; to feel shaken; to become unstable
sooner or later; in time; eventually
to collapse (of a building, dream, plan, etc.); to be destroyed; to fall through; to be completely defeated (in battle); to be wiped out; to be routed
alright; all right; right on; looking good; OK; okay
to fire oneself up; to give it one's all; to get psyched; to fire someone up (with scolding, corporal punishment, etc.); to rouse
to make someone lose face; to embarrass someone; to make someone look foolish
real intention; true motive; true will; original intention; original purpose; original hope
to get one's head around; to think about
to take a breath; to take a short rest
to live fast (and recklessly)
conscious; deliberate; intentional
to be lazy; to be idle; to slack; to neglect (e.g. one's work); to be neglectful of; to skip (e.g. school)
practice; experience; habituation; being used to; being comfortable with; being experienced in
ticktock; chinking (e.g. of a hammer against rock); knocking; dry and hard; (frozen) stiff; hidebound
progress; advance; improvement; development
often; again and again; over and over again; repeatedly; frequently
what with A and B; such things as A and B; A and B and so on; denotes uncertainty
bribe; sweetener; douceur
like; similar to; (I) think (that); (I) have a feeling (that); feels like; feels similar to
to get dirty; to become dirty; to become sullied; to become corrupted; to lose one's chastity
showing no concern at all; being not at all bothered; devil-may-care attitude
loud laughter; roaring with laughter
taking on a life of its own (of a rumour, etc.); walking by oneself; taking a walk by oneself; walking unaided; being able to walk without help; standing on one's own feet
constraint; reserve; feeling hesitant; being afraid of troubling someone