first game; first round (of tennis, etc.)
finely chopped fish or meat (sometimes seared first); mince; hitting (e.g. a drum); striking; bashing; criticizing
one class; one set; a pair; a suite; a series
frame; framework; border; box; limit; restriction; category
bag; satchel; briefcase; basket
grasping; gripping; handful; fistful; handle; grip; rice ball
to ascertain; to check; to make sure
demand; firm request; requisition; requirement; desire
to read and understand; to take in; to sense from external cues; to read (someone's) mind; to read (calibration, tape, etc.); to scan (bar code)
novel; original; striking; strange; eccentric; fantastic
flexible; lithe; soft; pliable
naturally; in due course; by itself; of its own accord
reciting (to oneself); repeating (e.g. an order, to confirm one heard it correctly)
to handle well; to handle deftly; to deal with; to manage; to prepare (meat or fish) for cooking; to dress (meat, etc.)
to mistake someone for someone else; to misread; to misjudge
to have excess momentum (from going too fast, using too much force, etc.); to get carried away; to go overboard; to overdo (something)
to forestall; to beat to the punch; to anticipate; to play the first move (e.g. in go)
surprise; something unexpected
to use somebody's (argument, attack) against them
as one would expect; just as you'd expect (from); just like (someone)
one's nature; characteristic; inherent; natural
motor nerve; reflexes; athletic ability; motor coordination
to recover; to rally; to improve; to pick up
running away; escaping on foot
stinging (pain); smarting; tingling
to be completely absorbed in; to fall for (something)
to come to mind; to pop into one's head
to shake one's head (in denial)
to change completely; to change suddenly
that's a different matter; that's a different story
trifling with; toying with; playing with; tossing about (a ship)
exercise; physical training; appeal; campaign; motion; movement
important; momentous; essential; principal; major
how many times; how many degrees (temperature, angle, etc.)
to hold aloft (e.g. a sword); to brandish
endurance; patience; perseverance; self-control; self-restraint
to shake; to jolt; to shake (e.g. the political world); to disturb; to put off a batter (by varying one's type of pitch)
key; lock; key (to a problem); clue
top and bottom; high and low; going up and down; rising and falling; going and coming back; upper and lower classes
to corner; to drive to the wall; to run down; to track down; to chase after