contrived; false-sounding
had better ...; had better not ...
thinly; slightly; vaguely; a little
straight; straightforward; direct; neat (e.g. spirits); black (e.g. tea, coffee); entering university directly from high school; fast ball
to fly into a rage; to lose one's temper; to flare up; to break out
fearfully; timidly; nervously; cautiously; gingerly
spicy; hot; salty; harsh (criticism); severe (punishment); painful
to be reflected; to harmonize with (harmonise); to come out (photo); to be projected; to be displayed (on a screen)
unpleasant; awkward; embarrassing; uneasy
being excluded; being ignored; being kept in the dark (about); being kept out of the loop; (lit.) outside the mosquito net
feeling; sensation; emotion; interjection
remnant; fragment; fraction; odd sum; halfway; half-hearted
another; different; something else
topic; subject; much talked about; topical; in the news
contents; content; substance; matter; detail; import
to be struck by lightning; to be yelled at (by someone of higher status); to be scolded harshly
doubt; question; uncertainty; skepticism; scepticism; suspicion
change; modification; alteration; revision; amendment
that being the case; in that case; if that's how it's going to go
willingly; voluntarily; on one's own accord
scholarly ability; scholarship; knowledge; literary ability
average; mean; balance; equilibrium
grazing; skimming; almost touching; barely; just; narrowly
reality; actuality; hard fact
rather; sooner; preferably
completely (beaten, defeated, etc.); thoroughly; utterly; black and blue; to a pulp
satisfaction; contentment; sufficient; satisfactory; satisfying (an equation)
in that case; (might not be what was expected or hoped for but) if that's the case
to puzzle over; to think deeply about; to rack one's brains over (wrack)
men and women; man and woman; both sexes; both genders
difference; variation; difference
poor (at); weak (in); not very good (at); not one's cup of tea; not one's favorite
fashion; fad; vogue; prevalence (e.g. of a disease)
dissatisfaction; discontent; disapproval; objection; complaint; protest
to play (a stringed or keyboard instrument)