before one knows it; before one realises; without one's knowledge; without noticing
collapse; crumbling; breaking down; (radioactive) decay; disintegration
laugh; laughter; smile; sneer; sex aids (e.g. dildos, pornographic books, erotic woodblock prints, etc.)
to serve; to work for; to attend
to pay (e.g. money, bill); to brush off; to wipe away; to drive away (e.g. one's competitors); to sell off (something unneeded); to dispose of; to pay (e.g. attention)
special; particular; peculiar; unique
to be crowded; to be packed; to be complex; to go into; to put into; to do intently
network; Internet; net (e.g. hairnet, tennis net); net (price, weight, etc.); nett
looking up (e.g. a word in a dictionary); search (e.g. on the Internet); retrieval (of information); reference
just as; right after; in the act of; as soon as; at that moment
yearned for; longed for; missed
plans; arrangement; schedule; program; programme; expectation
to ask; to enquire; to inquire; to search; to look for; to look into
to pretend; to act (as if)
pride; dignity; self-worth
receiving; welcoming; going to meet; final call; call of fate; approach of death
usual; normal; everyday; usually; normally; generally
coachman; driver; cabman; postilion
to lower one's voice; to speak with a hushed voice
rubbish; trash; garbage; refuse; litter
to fail to hear something; to miss; to act as if one didn't hear something; to let a remark slide
relation; connection; relevance
to read a large number (of); to read widely; to read everything that one can lay one's hands on (usu. of specific type, genre)
technical; specialist; professional; exclusive
to become fine (of fabric); to be checkmated; to be hard pressed; to be at a loss
to hesitate; to think twice; to flinch; to get cold feet
to one's heart's content; to one's complete satisfaction; as much as one likes; heartily; thoroughly; without restraint
to smash; to crush; to shut down; to put out of business; to wreck; to break; to butcher
investigation; research; looking something up
rather; better; instead; if anything
battle formation; camp; encampment; group; gang; war
scandal; impropriety; misconduct
getting closer; drawing nearer; being not much different; being near (age, skill, etc.); becoming close (i.e. friendly); becoming intimate
to be due to; to be caused by; to depend on; to turn on; to be based on; to come from
tediously; persistently; lazily; idly; (boiling) to a pulp; to a mash
slowly; tardily; complaining; grumbling; unsettled (e.g. weather); loose
to let (someone) hear; to tell (e.g. a story); to make (someone) listen; to make (someone) understand; to grip (someone) with skilful singing, storytelling, etc.; to hold (someone) enchanted by
consideration; guess; conjecture; judgement
smoky; awkward; uncomfortable; ill at ease
main cause; primary factor