secrecy; confidentiality; one's circumstances (esp. fiscal); kitchen
to promise; to abridge; to simplify; to reduce
approximately; about; promise; appointment; shortening; reduction
book; document; calligraphy (esp. Chinese); penmanship; handwriting; letter
after a long time; for the first time in a while
refreshingly; with a feeling of relief; shapely; neatly; cleanly; without trouble; clearly
father; dad; husband; you; he
to refuse; to reject; to inform; to give notice; to ask leave; to excuse oneself (from)
unmarried woman; Miss; -ess; -ette
to burn; to burn with (emotion, feeling); to be fired up
in case of; at that time; at this time
humour; humor; safety; health; in a good mood; in high spirits
to become better; to improve
futures; credit (buying); stretching; total (preceding counter, unit, etc.); aggregate
question; inquiry; enquiry
easy; trifling; harmless; nothing of the sort; not at all
appropriate; adequate; suitable; fitting; worthy
to be sullen; to be offended; to be huffy; to be stuffy; to be stifling; to be muggy
what kind of; what sort of; what; no matter what (kind of); whatever; any
thump-thump; bang-bang; pit-a-pat; to beat fast (of one's heart); to throb; to pound
to study (in depth); to learn; to take lessons in
to be added to; to be appended; to join in (e.g. a group of friends); to participate; to increase (e.g. heat); to gain in (e.g. influence)
cultivation; refinement; culture; education
severe; strict; hard (to do); difficult; intense (e.g. cold); harsh (weather)
to be too numerous; to be too much
puncture; flat tyre (tire); blowout; bursting; overflowing; being jammed (e.g. phone lines)
speech; expression; wording; language
to cure; to heal; to fix; to correct; to do over again; to replace
grown-up (manner, etc.); mature; adult
extra; more; unnecessary; needless; all the more; even more
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)
to calm down; to compose oneself; to calm down; to settle down; to settle down (in a location, job, etc.); to settle in; to be settled
the best one can do; one's best effort; with all one's might; to the best of one's ability
directions; instructions; orders; command
confidence; trust; faith; credit (finance)
colour; color; complexion; skin colour; look (on one's face); expression; appearance