re-covering; repapering; reupholstering
bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
enjoyable; fun; pleasant; happy; delightful
bond (between people); (emotional) ties; bonds; tether; fetters
to deepen; to heighten; to intensify
still; even now; to this day
ambition; aspiration; sinister designs; treachery
to go out (e.g. on an excursion or outing); to leave; to depart; to be about to leave; to be just going out
to choose at one's own discretion; to choose when to do something; to estimate (the time for something)
gloomy (e.g. mood); depressing; irritating; troublesome; heavy (weather); cloudy
behaviour; behavior; conduct
nightlife; night amusements
tightly (holding on); firmly; strongly (built); solidly; properly; well
always; without exception; necessarily; certainly; without fail; positively
to lay aside; to set aside
thoroughness; completeness; consistency; thorough enforcement; seeing to it that a policy, etc. is carried out without exception
way; manner; (for) the first time in (e.g. ten years); after ...; ...-sized; amount (equivalent to ...)
one day; (on) a certain day
where; what place; how much (long, far); what extent
unable to stomach; sticking in one's throat; displeased with
simple; artless; naive; unsophisticated
doubt; question; suspicion; dubiousness
to hit (e.g. one's head); to strike; to throw (at); to fling (at); to vent (e.g. one's anger); to express (one's feelings)
to be popular (esp. with the opposite sex); to be well liked; to be pampered (spoiled, doted upon, etc.); to be welcomed
the expectation is that ...; the reason is that ...; the fact is that ...; the explanation is that ...; it is that ...
self-satisfied look; triumphant look; smug face; shit-eating grin
horizontal (as opposed to vertical); side-to-side (as opposed to front-to-back); width; side (of a box, etc.); beside; aside
big hit (with); great success; great reception; great popularity; catching on greatly
very; very much; greatly; considerably; highly; exceedingly
to get along (with someone); to be like-minded; to be congenial
nevertheless; at any rate; even so; all things considered; be that as it may
sometimes; occasionally; at times; seasonal; of the season; appropriate (for the season or occasion)
wonderful; marvelous; strange; strangely enough; oddly enough; for some reason
and yet; despite this; but even so; but even then; however; nevertheless
why?; what for?; how?; by what means?
to that extent; to that degree; so much; so
common people; ordinary people; masses
comparatively; relatively; fairly; rather; pretty; unexpectedly
well-bred; of good upbringing
influence (on someone); inspiration
somehow; in some way; for some reason; faintly; vaguely
ill-bred; vulgar; boorish
secret; private; surreptitious
to cock one's head in puzzlement; to tilt one's head in contemplation; to wrack one's brain; to think hard
to taste; to eat; to drink; to speak (of); to put into words; to refer (to)
particular; special; (not) particularly; (not) especially
inarticulate; clumsy with words; poor at speaking