boning (fish or meat); deboning; watering down (a plan, bill, etc.); dilution; taking the backbone out of; weakening
to shun; to avoid; to ostracize; to neglect; to distance oneself from; to give the hard shoulder
injury; harm; evil influence; damage
to reach; to amount to; to be up to the task; to come up to; to compare with; to be a match (for)
at present; currently; so far; for now; for the time being
intricate workmanship; delicate handiwork; cheap trick; petty trick; obvious stratagem
collection; recovery; withdrawal; retrieval
wiping out; sweeping away; eradicating; dispelling
for example; for instance; e.g.
to turn over; to turn pages of a book; to tear off; to strip off; to tear up
to unfold; to unroll; to open
shameless; infamous; disgraceful
to see (a doctor, etc.); to consult (someone)
ill-natured; mean; mischievous; nasty; unkind; teasing
forbidding to speak; muzzling (a person); bribing into secrecy; hush money
parent; parents; dealer (in cards, mahjong, etc.); banker; founder; inventor; (pet) owner
February; second month of the lunar calendar
sight; attraction; spectacle; something worth seeing
sentence-ending particle expressing doubt
difference in social standing; difference in social position
playing at (something); game of make-believe; something done together
to show respect for; to revere; to honour; to honor; to worship; to hold in esteem
to cross (legs or arms); to link (arms); to put together; to construct; to braid; to plait; to grapple
long ago; already; a long time ago
without; unacceptable; not alright; unsatisfactory
to consider as; to regard (as equivalent); to deem (as); to equate
extravagant spending; wasteful spending; splurging; squandering
firm; unshakeable; resolute
(villains) of the same stripe; birds of a feather; (lit.) badgers of the same hole
to get carried away; to get overly elated; to become over-excited; to get up to speed; to move into gear
to increase; to add to; to augment
centripetal force; unifying force; cohesive power
grasping; seizing; holding; commanding; having control over
daring; fearless; intrepid; bold; tough
first of all; to begin with; probably; most likely; more or less (satisfactory); on the whole
puppet; marionette; puppeteer; (arch.) prostitute
gentle; peaceable; amicable; without fuss; simply
to step back; to move back; to withdraw (from the presence of a superior); to leave; to resign; to retire
minimum; lowest; minimal; least
calculation; reckoning; count; forecast