gossipy; abusive; critical; jabbering
close investigation; careful examination; scrutiny
studying under; looking up to; apprenticing oneself to
following (a precedent, former policy, etc.); continuing with; sticking to; observing
to participate in; to take part in; to play a part in; to receive; to be given; to enjoy
to ask the opinion of (a superior)
intentionally; on purpose; deliberately; taking something into account
to ward off; to brush away; to fling off; to drive away
traditional; from ancient times; formerly
change; transformation; innovation; Reformation
wonderful; astounding; marvellous
to fail; to blunder; to mess up; to be dismissed; to be fired
to set off an explosive; to start a fire under someone; to motivate someone with rough words
cold; frigid; bracing; dignified
light (e.g. aircraft, truck); light motor vehicle (up to 660cc and 64bhp); kei car
personnel affairs; human affairs; human resources; HR
vacant post; vacancy; post in name only
exposing; unmasking; laying bare
a question (an issue) of where responsibility (liability) lies; a question of who is responsible (to blame)
nothing special; no big deal; doesn't matter
serious crime; grave crime
available room (hotel); vacancy; room to let
quick-wittedness; having tact; being sensible
to grovel; to go down on one's hands and knees
to put together; to gather; to collect; to scrape together
strong-minded; strong-willed; having great willpower
one end; an end; part; fragment
to spread out; to lay out; to take a position; to impose widely (e.g. over a city)
to live under another's roof; to become a dependent on; to flatten oneself (against); to lean in close to
my; one's own; personal; privately owned
remnants; survivors; refugees; pocket (of resistance)
document case; letter tray
to follow around; to shadow; to tag along; to haunt one (e.g. feeling, failure); to follow one