to protect; to guard; to defend; to keep (i.e. a promise); to abide (by the rules); to observe
round (table, collar, etc.); round; round; round (of a competition); round (of talks, esp. multilateral trade negotiations)
now advancing and now retreating; ebb and flow; seesawing; taking alternately favorable and unfavorable turns
sword strike; sword slash
to slip through; to slip past; to evade
inferiority (e.g. numerical); inferior position; disadvantage; unfavorable situation; unfavourable situation
destructive power; destructive energy; destructive force
to rise; to swell; to intensify; to increase; to grow stronger; to get higher
nerve; nerves; sensitivity
to strain (e.g. one's nerves); to be on edge; to be tense (of an atmosphere); to cover completely (e.g. with tiles, ice, etc.); to spread over; to become covered (in)
to be effective; to be fruitful; to be worthwhile; to be worth; to be rewarded; to pay off
brittle; fragile; weak; tender-hearted; sentimental; easily moved
utmost limits; extremity; limit
to miss (e.g. a chance); to lose; to set free; to let go; to fail to ...
attitude; posture; preparedness; readiness
to collapse; to crumble; to get out of shape; to lose one's shape; to break down; to be thrown into disarray; to crash (stock market)
to miss; to overlook; to let pass (a matter); to overlook (e.g. a wrongdoing); to pass up (e.g. an opportunity); to let (a good ball) go by
to break (into pieces); to be broken; to collapse; to crumble; to become less formal; to throw off reserve
right arm; right-hand man; right hand; right-handed pitcher
to let fly; to make fly; to skip over; to leave out; to run fast; to drive fast; to spray
left arm; left-handed (baseball pitcher)
left; left-hand side; left hand; the left (wing); leftist; fondness for alcohol
and yet; despite this; but even so; but even then; however; nevertheless
conviction; belief; confidence
series; chain; two reams (i.e. 1000 sheets of paper); verse; stanza
tactics; strategy; military operation; naval operation
(animal) feed; fodder; pet food; bait; lure; enticement
swing; shake; appearance; behaviour; pretence; pretense; (a customer) coming to restaurant, ryokan, etc. without a reservation or introduction
to grow up; to become an adult; to become big; to grow in size
stiffening; rigidity; rigor; stiffness; ossification; petrification
intelligence; intellect; brains
sacrifice; victim (esp. someone killed); casualty; sacrifice (to a deity)
trick; trap; stratagem; intraoperative; during surgery
to fit; to get into; to be fit for (a job, etc.); to be suited for; to fall into; to plunge into
in spite of; despite; although; regardless of; irrespective of
thought; consideration; thinking
to be soaked in; to be flooded; to be submerged; to be immersed in (joy, memories, alcohol, etc.); to give oneself over to; to bask in
sharp (knife, claws, etc.); pointed; sharp (pain, tone, etc.); acute; keen (intuition, sense of smell, etc.); acute
to bump into; to run into; to encounter; to meet with; to clash (of opinions, people, etc.); to conflict
air; atmosphere; mood; situation; someone with no presence; someone who doesn't stand out at all
(lit.) blood flows; to have the blood of ... running in one's veins (artist, warrior, etc.); to be born with particular skills, characteristics, etc.; to have something "in one's blood"
to make oneself available (free)
when it comes to ...; if one were to speak of ...; by ... you mean ...; when you say ... you mean that ...; whenever ...; if it's ... then (without fail)