slowly (but steadily); gradually; bit-by-bit; slowly soaking in; slowly permeating; oozing out
difference in grades (e.g. in go, shoji, etc.); difference in level (e.g. road, footpath); ramp; steps
heavy fog; dense fog; thick fog
rare; uncommon; not often seen
watering hole; watering place
bat (Chiroptera spp.); umbrella; opportunist; turncoat
to speak distinctly; to speak clearly; to put it bluntly; to get to the point; to be frank
river; stream; River; the ... river
to run off (fluid); to run down; to flow down
bare rock; rock surface; rock face
crack; crevice; fissure; chap; rift
(not) so; (not) particularly; (not) very; (not) that much
tear; rip; rent; slit; crack; chasm
position; location; base; point; site
far away; far off; far; long ago; long before
to sit down (and refuse to move); to sit-in (in protest)
cannot (due to external circumstances); cannot afford to; must not; impossible to; no way one can (do)
the skin (of a human being); warmth of the skin; body warmth
to hold in one's arms (e.g. a baby); to embrace; to have sex with; to make love to; to sit on (eggs); to brood
to be born; to come into the world
birth; creation; formation
longed-for; anxiously awaited
surface; face; outside; exterior; appearances; superficiality
to stroke; to caress; to brush gently; to comb (hair); to smooth down
along; parallel to; in accordance with
mark (for quick identification or recognition); sign; landmark; guide; (arch.) trademark
nothing special; no big deal; doesn't matter
unfathomable; inestimable; immeasurable
along the river; riverside
to go out (e.g. on an excursion or outing); to leave; to depart; to be about to leave; to be just going out
upper stream; upper course; upstream; upper classes
establishment; institution; installation (of a machine or equipment)
point of departure; initial point; starting point
terminus; last stop (e.g. train)
just right (time, size, length, etc.)
it does not mean that ...; I don't mean that ...; it is not the case that
rugged; scraggy; angular; gnarled
difficulty; hardship; trouble; infeasibility; inability (to carry out)
undulation; ups and downs; highs and lows
going ahead; going first; preceding; coming before; scoring first; getting off to a lead
via; through; by doing; by means of; using
to climb over; to get over; to surmount; to overcome; to surpass; to overtake
pushing back one's opponent while locked in close quarters; having a tendency towards; being close to