investigation; examination; inquiry; enquiry; survey
unnecessary; not needed; not necessary
carefree; comfortable; at ease; easygoing; happy-go-lucky
to stir up trouble for oneself; (lit.) to scare out a snake by poking at the brush
society; the world; the times
being too late; losing one's final chance
to draw through one's hand; to stroke (e.g. a beard); to work someone hard; to masturbate
to work hard; to make an effort
even though; despite; when
to boil up; to come to the boil; to arise; to break out; to get excited; to be in uproar
briskly; quickly; promptly
on the same occasion; at the same time; coincidentally; along with; partly (to do, for)
second basement level; subbasement
to gather up; to scrape up together; to rake
running fast; double time; cantering; doing things in a hurry
to take (seat, position, course, office, etc.); to assume; to ascend (the throne); to accede; to start (on a journey); to commence
underling; person of low standing; grunt; petty (work, official, etc.); minor; lowly
to beg; to ask; to request; to invite
to excuse oneself; to take one's leave; to resign (post); to quit; to decline; to turn down
armed might; military power; the sword; force
up through; up until; down to; from ... to ... (e.g. from head to toe); everything from ... to ...
to have an eye on; to zero in on
intelligence or information network
to take something into ...; to bring in; to lodge (a complaint); to file (a plan); to bring to (a state: tied game, vote, trial, etc.)
cross-examination; close questioning; demanding an explanation
to order; to command; to appoint
price; cost; value; worth; value
the place for; the time for; the level of
to interrupt; to interfere; to meddle; to intrude; to butt in; to poke one's nose into
on rare occasions; once in a blue moon
eccentricity; eccentric behaviour
worthy of special mention
on the contrary; far from it; if anything; in fact; instead
suddenly; in a flash; rapidly; attractive; distinguished; showy
to have full knowledge (of something); to know something thoroughly
it is no exaggeration to say; it is not too much to say