crumbling; collapse; ruin; has-been; wannabe
to disdain; to look down on; to make light of; to hold in contempt; to scorn; to despise
layer; stratum; class; stratum; sheaf; counter for stories (of a building)
thick; deep; kind; cordial; abundant
luggage; baggage; burden; payload (of a packet, cell, etc.)
threat; menace; coercion; terrorism
acquisition (esp. corporate); buy-out; takeover; bribery; buying off; corruption
prompt decision; quick decision; immediate judgement; summary judgment; summary judgement
difficult problem; challenge
master (of a house, shop, etc.); husband; sir; boss; patron of a mistress, geisha, bar or nightclub hostess; sugar daddy
to carve; to engrave; to sculpt; to tattoo
to decorate gaudily; to overdecorate; to deck out; to embellish
standard item; usual thing; (a) classic; basic item (with stable demand); staple goods
burly; strong; indomitable; indefatigable; robust (vitality, appetite, economic growth, etc.); strong
smoothly; with a slipping or sliding motion
merchant; trader; expert (in a trade or profession); professional; woman working in the nightlife business (bar or nightclub hostess, geisha, etc.); demimondaine
able; capable; competent; able person; person of ability
carving; engraving; chiselled features
question; inquiry; enquiry
(short) curtain hung at shop entrance; split curtain used to divide spaces in a house; reputation (of a store); good name; goodwill
to go under; to pass under; to dive (into or under the water); to evade; to get around; to survive
past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
closely (packed, lined up, etc.); tightly; densely; (work) sufficiently
ancient script; ancient character; ancient alphabet
to arrange (flowers); to plant; living; live
grimoire; book of magic; book of sorcery
these days; nowadays; present day; at this time (of the day)
replacement; substitution; change; shunting (rail); switching
easy; simple; informal; offhand; cheap
inconvenience; inexpediency; unhandiness
atrocious; fiendish; brutal; villainous
rough; rowdy; wild; rough person; rowdy person
fluent (in a language); flowing
to strain (oneself); to bear down; to exert oneself; to put on a bold front; to make a show of strength; to swagger
shaman; Sherman (WW2 tank)
countries all over the world; all the countries of the world
after all is said and done; no matter what people say; in the end; definitely; undeniably
to recommend (someone to do); to advise; to recommend (a book, someone for a position, etc.); to suggest; to offer (a drink, cigarette, seat, etc.)