past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
glass (drinking vessel); glass (material); glasses (eyewear)
to enquire of someone about something (inquire); to question; to interrogate; to grill (someone about a matter); to question in detail
gown; elegant dress; dressing gown; bathrobe
sparkle of one's eyes; insight; discernment; penetration
stern expression; severe expression; grim expression
impressiveness; impact; force; intensity; appeal; strength
henchman; right-hand man; trusted confidant; inner circle
to give up on; to turn one's back (on); to abandon; to forsake; to dump (e.g. romantic partner)
perfection; thoroughness; consummation
to make (the best) use of; to put to good use; to let live; to keep alive; to revive; to resuscitate
robbery; pillage; seizure; hijacking; plunder; extortion
to be indelibly stained or ingrained; to be dyed in deeply
papier mâché; something that looks good superficially
inquiry; enquiry; investigation; (police) interview; questioning (e.g. witness, suspect); hearing
hearing (of a statement, opinion, explanation, etc.); asking; questioning (e.g. a suspect); listening (e.g. to the radio)
nonsense; silly talk; drivel; rubbish
to swallow (e.g. a story); to accept without questioning; to swallow (food) whole; to gobble up; to gulp down
in; on; at (place); as for; regarding
incompetence; inefficiency; inability; incompetent person
after checking; after verification
wide area; wide view (of a digitally displayed map); zoomed-out view
suspension; interruption; stoppage; tie-up; cessation
hardly any; almost nonexistent; very little
to melt into; to dissolve into; to merge into; to blend into (surroundings); to fit in; to adapt to
water; liquid; fluid; moisture; humidity; sap
probe; inquiry; enquiry; investigation
filtration; filtering; percolation
timewise; temporal; chronal
it does not mean that ...; I don't mean that ...; it is not the case that...
to warp; to bend; to contort; to be perverted; to be warped (of a view, mind, etc.); to be distorted