or; either ... or; maybe; perhaps; some ... and others ...; sometimes ... and at other times ...
deadlock; standstill; stalemate; impasse; standoff
detonator; priming; primer; trigger; impetus; spark
beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning; initially
with great vigour; in leaps and bounds; (lit.) with the force of surging waves
lasting long; continuation; keeping at (something); sticking to (something)
reading; reading (of a kanji, esp. kun reading); reading (e.g. of a situation); insight
to cut (grass, hair, etc.); to mow; to clip; to trim; to prune; to shear
to assign; to allot; to divide among; to distribute; to prorate; to assess
chilly; rather cold; somewhat cold
crucible; melting pot; melting pot (of cultures, ideas, etc.); state of ecstasy; state of fevered excitement
feeling uneasy; very worried; very anxious; on tenterhooks; on pins and needles
to turn; to shift; to switch; to change; to alter
spirit; heart; disposition
to breathe heavily (e.g. with much movement of the shoulders)
urgent; pressing; immediate; urgently; promptly; at once
to eat up and spoil (e.g. crops); to eat away; to eat a bit of everything; to encroach upon; to take over
advance guard; vanguard; athlete who competes in the first match of a team competition (kendo, judo, etc.)
to make contact (with); to get in touch; to enter into relations; to come to an understanding
cruel; merciless; atrocious; pitiful; tragic; horrible
counter for thin, flat objects (e.g. sheets of paper, plates, coins); counter for portions of gyōza or soba; counter for ranks; counter for wrestlers of a particular rank; counter for fields or rice paddies; counter for palanquin bearers
government service; entering government service; finding a new lord or master to serve (of a ronin)
firm promise; definite promise
I'm told; is what I heard; is how it is, apparently; is what they said
self first; striving to be first; scrambling for
hurrying (to somewhere); rushing; hastening; express (train)
to shift one's attention to; to shift one's focus on
grounds; foundation; authority; support; prop; something upon which to rely
decisive moment; turning point; critical moment; win-or-bust situation
(one's) gaze; line of sight; point of view; standpoint; line covering someone's eyes (to obscure their identity); eye censor bar
contacting; getting in touch; communication; call; message
to pass on an order; to pass the word
employer's house; master's house
lowering; sinking; depreciation; price fall; punch line (of a rakugo story); (arch.) sword strap
arranged; taken care of; settled; completed; finished
whistling (wind); blowing; fluttering (in the wind); waving; staggering; tottering
to be worth it; to pay; to be profitable
to be hesitant; to feel timid
(Oh) dear!; (Oh) dear me!; Good gracious
I'm sorry; my apologies; may I come in?; permission; leave; dismissal
to do something distinguished; to perform great deeds; to distinguish oneself (e.g. in war)
just because; even if; even though
survivor's pension or annuity
this is not the time (for that); that's out of the question right now
dead men tell no tales; the dead cannot speak in their own defense
to be horrified; to be filled with trepidation; to shake with fright; to yield to terror