to come apart at the seams; to be ripped; to begin to open; to begin to bloom; to smile broadly; to break into a smile
to complete decisively; to do to completion
laughing while reminiscing
you must be kidding; hey, come on!; surely not!
mumblingly; mutteringly; unintelligibly
to hesitate to say; to mumble; to hem and haw; to falter
odious; hateful; detestable; (speaking ironically) darling
heathen; heretic; pagan; nonconformist; freethinker; iconoclast
regarding as dangerous; identifying as a threat
to run counter to; to go against; to disobey; to infringe
spread; span; expanse; extent
I fear that it's likely that; with all due respect
(not) by any means; (not) for anything; wouldn't do for anything; had enough; flatly refusing
to deceive (with words); to cajole; to talk into; to explain away (e.g. unpleasant evidence); to argue away; to wheedle
crime committed for fun; criminal who takes delight in people's reaction to his crimes
to deify; to enshrine; to pray; to worship
call; summons; convening; convocation
privately; with outsiders barred; en famille
to have no way of knowing; to be completely ignorant of
time; (the) hour; favourable time; opportunity; chance
habit (garment worn by nuns, monks, friars, etc.)
somehow; for some reason; without knowing why
long slits (esp. of eyes)
as is habit; the way life normally is
well-known; noted; celebrated
author; writer; novelist; artist
masterwork; masterpiece; crowning work; one's magnum opus; work of the highest quality
human kindness; human weakness
exit (from a stage); exeunt; leaving; exit
haze (esp. in spring); mist; dimness (of sight)
to leave as is; to let alone; to disregard
fascination; to charm; to fascinate; to mesmerize
pit of the stomach; solar plexus
minute; micro; detailed; delicate; subtle