birth; lineage; identity; background; provenance; origin
close aide (of a powerful person); close associate; entourage; attendant; retainer
the way one talks; one's way of speaking
to correct; to rectify; to reform; to straighten (one's posture, collar, etc.); to adjust
to pick up; to gather; to find (and pick up; something someone has dropped); to select; to choose; to get (unexpectedly); to hit upon (luck, an opportunity, etc.)
exactly; precisely; just; just (like); as if; as though
strange; unfamiliar; mysterious; suspicious
king of the hill; king of the castle; king of the mountain
ear; hearing; ear (for music, etc.); edge; crust; ear (of a pot, jug, etc.)
to unfold; to unroll; to open
close friendship; inseparable relationship
to be far apart (from); to be a long way off (from); to be remote; to be very different (from); to be quite unlike; to be far from (e.g. the truth)
cats and dogs (as an example of a bad relationship); (lit.) dogs and monkeys
dangerous; perilous; threatening; stern (expression); hostile (attitude); sharp
childish; childlike; immature; infantile; puerile
pluralizing suffix; nickname-forming suffix
confused; disordered; faltered; incoherent; inconsistent
very young; little; childish; immature
stammering; stuttering; dysphemia
having; holding; wear; durability; shouldering (an expense); being responsible (for paying)
to talk; to chat; to chatter
before very long; soon; someday; of the previously mentioned; of that number; among them
easy; easygoing; carefree; happy-go-lucky; optimistic; leisurely
equal match; good match; fair match; equal in ability; being a worthy rival
the heat is off; things calm down; the excitement dies down
lingering (usu. feeling, emotion, etc.); continuing (to); still (...)
to be ...-ing; to have been ...-ing
straight-laced person; stubborn person
complaint; grumbling; objection; phrase; words; expression
(verbal) abuse; speaking ill of people; bad-mouthing; name-calling; slander; abusive language
(one's) seating posture; way one sits