dango; dumpling (usu. sweet); ball-shaped object; something round; lump; group
suited figure; person in a suit
past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
to hang one's head; to droop one's head
speech; expression; wording; language
sounding; probing; probe; stylet; spy
smelling of mold; musty; putrid; old-fashioned; stale; hackneyed
lightly; gaping wide; suddenly; unexpectedly
cave; hollow; cavity; hollow
beginning of the year; new year; New Year's call; New Year's greetings
oh my god; how; what the; incredible
black; black (coffee); without cream or milk; exploitative (esp. of employees); overly harsh; boldface
overly serious; serious to a fault; humorless
to walk about; to walk around; to conduct oneself; to turn up; to brawl (in a play, etc.)
skillful; skilful; adroit; clever; shrewd; ingenious
really (seem, appear, etc.); truly; evidently; in that way
exhausting work; hard work; severe duty
to digest; to break down; to break to pieces; to be able to use; to be good at; to finish; to complete
as a child; when one was a child; childhood
willpower; guts; determination; character; nature; disposition
to receive; to take; to get somebody to do something; to have in one's pocket (a fight, match); to contract (a disease); to catch
(outward) appearance; (proper) format (e.g. of an essay); form; appearances; decency; lip-service
at the very beginning; first of all; first and foremost; before anything else
manly; sportsmanlike; pure (heart, actions, etc.); upright; (arch.) unsullied (e.g. scenery or object); (arch.) pure
failure; collapse; breakdown; break-up; bankruptcy
eldest daughter; first-born daughter
at hand; on hand; way of moving one's arms; skill; money at hand; pocket money
princess; spoiled girl; hothouse flower; glue
to bring up indulgently; to coddle
to be in high spirits; to be full of vigor (vigour); to be enthusiastic; to be eager; to stretch to breaking point
(not) so much; (not) that much
owing a lot to somebody; being indebted; never forgetting someone who has done a favour
like everyone else; like most people; like an ordinary person; as much as anyone else
to marry (a woman); to take to wife; to take in marriage
advance warning; previous notice; announcement; herald; harbinger; forerunner
to be taken aback; to be astonished; to be dumbfounded