to manage (all by oneself); to control; to run; to take charge of
department (in an organization); division; club; part; component; category
section chief; laboratory manager; office head; room monitor
past middle age; nearing old age; near-elderly; age 40
to come near; to approach; to be on the verge of; to be about to; to overhang; to hang over
grizzled; (hair) streaked with grey (gray)
with a friendly grin; smilingly
friendly; affable; amiable; sociable; loving company; (animals) taking kindly to men
to come along; to come around; to turn up; to arrive at the present; to get where one is; to have been doing something (for a period of time)
honour; honor; glory; privilege
(social) standing; status; identity; birth; one's circumstances; one's means
to pass (the night); to spend; to reveal; to divulge; to prove; to verify
to present; to submit; to tender; to hold out
to receive; to get; to eat; to drink; to be crowned with; to wear (on one's head)
call; visit; inquiry; enquiry; question
I'm sorry; (it's) inexcusable; I feel regretful; thank you very much (for help, etc.)
consideration; guess; conjecture; judgment; judgement
Not a word to anyone; Mum's the word
to desire; to wish; to beg; to request; to have something done for oneself
lower layer; layer beneath; lower strata (classes)
to spread; to be propagated
paying one's own expenses; going into business for oneself; working independently; person who earns their own living
beforehand; in advance; previously
to descend (e.g. a mountain); to go down; to alight (e.g. from bus); to get off; to step down; to retire; to be granted
carrying in (esp. heavy objects, artwork, furniture); bringing in; taking in
contract; compact; agreement
sale; selling; selling point; gimmick; seller; vendor
vast; huge; immense; malva nut (Sterculia lychnophora)
regulation; (traffic) policing; control; restriction
incomprehensible; mysterious; inexplicable; inscrutable; enigmatic; baffling
shallow thinking; superficial view; insufficient consideration
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
face; honour; meld; lineup (of players participating in a mahjong game); attendees (e.g. at a meeting); members
to be crushed; to be smashed; to become useless; to cease functioning; to go bankrupt; to go out of business
great inconvenience; great deal of trouble; big nuisance; royal pain in the behind
every day and every night
reprimand; rebuke; reproach; scolding
inside; within; while (e.g. one is young); during; among; amongst; in (secret, chaos, poverty, etc.)
chest and stomach; one's innermost being
sympathy; compassion; pity
nothing but; none other than
so; therefore; accordingly; consequently; on those grounds; that is why