city; Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly
ghost town; deserted village; village without inhabitants
scrutiny; digging into; excavation; inquiry into; enquiry into; prying
equivalence; equal value; parity; (logical) equivalence
discussion; talk; tête-à-tête; conference
snapping back (at someone); lashing out (despite being in the wrong); counterblast; counteroffensive; backlash
covered by the other party (usu. expenses)
unscrupulous business practices; fraudulent business practices; crooked business practices
modus operandi; criminal technique; trick
crossing swords; competing against; contending with; fighting against
highest rank; highest position; high-end; highest-order; most-significant (e.g. bit)
dregs; sediment; lees (esp. sake); leftovers; by-product; worthless item; junk
nice-looking; seemingly fine; nice-sounding; polite-sounding; plausible (e.g. excuse); glib
driving off a troublesome person; getting rid of a nuisance
one eye; eye (for pictures, etc.)
eyesight; vision; visual acuity
to catch one's attention; to catch one's ear; to be annoying to one's ear
madder (esp. Japanese madder, Rubia argyi); madder (red color)
the other world; the next world; the world beyond; world after death
between times; when there's a spare moment
to throw; to fling; to heave; to toss
lasting quality; good wearing ability; going a long way
incomprehensible; mysterious; inexplicable; inscrutable; enigmatic; baffling
flaring up; burning hotly; flying into a rage; losing one's cool; opening suddenly and widely (e.g. eyes, mouth); (arch.) acting resolutely
joints; points (of a speech)
bits and pieces; frizzily (as in perm)
perspiration given off during sleep; sweating while sleeping; night sweats
lacking in some desired property (size, usefulness, etc.)
overanxiety; needless worry
consideration; concern; attention; thoughtfulness; making arrangements; care
congestion; crush; crowding; confusion; disorder
above ground; on the ground; earth's surface; this world; this earth