suspicious; dubious; doubtful; unsure; untrustworthy; unreliable; strange
gag order; gag rule; gag law
to attract interest; to arouse someone's interest
hostility; antagonism; opposition
especially; particularly; above all; portioning out (servings of food)
meddling; interfering; choosing to keep the drawn tile and discarding a different one
a person without a single relative
to be granted (e.g. a title); to be awarded (e.g. a prize); to be gifted with (a talent); to be taught (e.g. a secret technique); to be instructed; to be initiated
within expectations; as expected; within the scope of hypothesis or assumption
commitment; pledge; promise
honestly speaking; in truth; in all honesty; to be frank
calamity; disaster; accident
to be no match for (e.g. outclassed in authority, strength or in debt to); to be unable to act on an equal basis with
apprehensive; vaguely fearful; gloomy (about the future); somewhat alarmed
(young and) innocent; naive; pure; fresh; artless; unsophisticated
on the other hand; at the same time
friendly; easy to get on with; easy to talk to; easy to like
hard to handle; difficult to handle; awkward to handle; hard to deal with; unwieldy
falling out (with); quarrel; discord; estrangement; being on bad terms
clamour; clamor; uproar; tumult; furore; furor
guarantee; security; assurance; warranty
malicious; spiteful; vicious; shady and damp
to treat (a guest); to receive; to entertain; to be hospitable to; to make welcome
to suffer; to receive (kindness, rebuke, support); to sustain (damage)
(suffering) damage; injury; harm
to kidnap (esp. by force or deception); to abduct; to snatch
shape; form; appearance; style; state; situation
to take a breather; to take a rest; to catch one's breath; to take a breath
to rest one's chin in one's hands
criticism; critique; review; commentary
old friend; familiar face
to get to the main subject; to move on to the main topic; to get down to business
to disagree; to dispute; to fight (over)
estimate (of costs); budget
high; tall; expensive; high-priced; high (level); above average (in degree, quality, etc.)
if that's the case ...; if so ...; that being the case ...
concrete; definite; specific; material; substantial
adjustment; tweaking; improvement; modification; tinkering; minor alteration
at work; in the midst of work; working
outsider's perspective; as seen by an observer