retreating figure; appearance from behind
past days; bygone days; days of yore; while still alive; during one's lifetime
sad; miserable; unhappy; sad; lamentable; deplorable
rustling of leaves; rustling of grass
quick to take a hint; very responsive; quick on the uptake
large; big; older; senior; final; ultimate
ballade (narrative poetry, musical composition); ballad (popular song)
pitch; tone; time; tempo; mood; tendency
to negotiate (with someone about); to talk over (something with); to tackle someone (about); to throw on each other; to splash (water) on each other; to pour on each other
song lyrics; words of a song; libretto
secret; secrecy; mystery; secret (e.g. to success); esoteric teachings
to touch; to feel; to touch (with); to experience; to come in contact with; to touch on (a subject); to allude to
small build; small stature; petite; small pattern
class; heading; group; category
literally; to the letter; literal
skeleton; skeletal structure; build; framework
dead of night; shades of night; black of night
to wear; to be dressed in; to have on
pressure; stress; pressure (e.g. political); coercion; arm-twisting
meeting face-to-face; seeing in person; facing (each other); opposing (traffic, etc.); confronting
visual hallucination; vision
to make sense; to be meaningful
beforehand; in advance; previously
in advance; beforehand; previously
to form; to shape; to make; to mold; to mould; to build up
main; principal; chief; primary; major
marked; pronounced; showing a strong tendency (towards)
and yet; despite this; but even so; but even then; however; nevertheless
mature in age and wisdom; middle-aged
to mix; to stir; to scramble; to churn
no more than; just; only; mere; goes no further than
to think; to consider; to think (of doing); to plan (to do); to judge; to assess; to imagine
aizuchi; back-channeling; interjections indicating that one is paying attention; two smiths hammering at an object in turn
to be awarded (e.g. a prize); to be given an award; to be gifted or endowed (e.g. with a talent); to be blessed (e.g. with a child); to be initiated (e.g. into a secret)
nonexistent; unreal; imaginary; spurious
nonsense; no meaning; meaningless
to stare fixedly at; to fix one's gaze on; to make sure of; to set one's eyes on (e.g. the future); to focus on
to get worse; to deteriorate; to go from bad to worse; to spoil (of food); to go bad; to perish
to go on the defensive; to play it safe
to mix with; to be mixed; to be mingled
to shift one's attention to; to shift one's focus on
creed; belief; conviction; article of faith