far and away the best; the very best; cream of the crop; crème de la crème; decisive lead; commanding lead
first place; head position; leading position
narrow margin; slim margin
don't let your guard down; carelessness is the great enemy; danger comes soonest when it is despised
last spurt; final spurt; home stretch
to persevere; to persist; to insist that; to stick to (one's opinion); to remain in a place; to stick to one's post
since some time ago; for some time; for quite a while
a great deal; very much; a lot; (arch.) with a great amount of effort
abbreviation; omission; outline; gist; plan; strategy
year; age; years; past one's prime; old age
soft and fluffy (e.g. hair)
perm (hairstyle); permanent wave
tips of one's hair; hair ends
squirrel (any mammal of family Sciuridae); Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis)
effort; exertion; endeavour; endeavor; hard work; striving
unspecified large number (of people)
painful; sore; cringy; embarrassing; exceeding
near; close; beside; third person
from now on; after this; in the future; from here; from this point
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it; I mean
as many as one likes; as much as one likes; great many; plenty; almost (none); (not) much
hard (on the ears); offensive (to the ear); rasping; rough; harsh; grating
disagreeable; detestable; unpleasant; reluctant
presentiment; premonition; hunch; to have a premonition; to have a hunch
to close one's eyes; to lower one's eyelids; to shut one's eyes; to die; to breathe one's last
under one's eyes; below one's eyes
halfway; half measures; unfinished; incomplete; by halves; half-baked
to write; to compose; to pen; to draw; to paint
to scatter around; to leave untidy; to make a mess
to spread (out); to extend; to stretch; to reach to; to get around; to fill (e.g. a space)
chair; stool; post; office; position
to sit; to squat; to assume (a position); to hold steady; to hold still
to sleep; to die; to rest (in peace); to lie idle (e.g. of resources); to lie unused; (arch.) to close one's eyes
creaking; groaning (e.g. under physical stress)
to jar; to creak; to grate
bright (weather, mood, voice, etc.); clear; fine; beautiful; glorious; splendid
to insert; to put in; to have a griping pain; to flow in; to shine in
unconsciously; unwittingly; unawares
evening; early night hours
exactly!; surely!; that's it!; ding dong (sound of door bell, chime, etc.)
to become misty; to become hazy; to get blurry; to grow dim; to be overshadowed; to be upstaged
distinctly (standing out); clearly; in sharp relief; boldly