cleaning out mud from a ditch or drain
paper patch attached to something; paper backing; sticker; notice; poster
payment made via bank deposit transfer; discarding a tile that becomes another player's winning tile
(all) important positions; every strategic point; each key post; (all) important parts; every important point
crash; smashing (into); ramming; clash (of views, interests, teams, etc.); conflict
actual place; actual location; the spot; place where one is currently living
Everyone is safe (all right)
or; either ... or; maybe; perhaps; some ... and others ...; sometimes ... and at other times ...
news (from someone); letter; contact; (someone's) whereabouts; (someone's) movements
to hang one's hopes on; to expect from
leaf; blade (of grass); (pine) needle; frond; foliage
cloth; fabric; dough; batter; inherent quality; one's true character; unglazed pottery
escape from reality; escapism; ostrichism
hearsay; learning by hearsay
to produce; to yield; to cause; to result from; to arise; to be generated
mediocre; ordinary; commonplace; banal
to meet; to face someone; to co-star; to appear together; to be matched; to face against
living a life of leisure with dignity; living quietly and comfortably free from worldly cares; otium cum dignitate
having a poor endgame; failing at the final stage; missing at the last turn; slacking off at the end
to pledge allegiance; to swear an oath of allegiance; to take an oath of allegiance
to think out; to devise; to invent; to begin to think; to come up with a plan
stern expression; severe expression; grim expression
related (by blood); blood-related; of the same blood
harmless; innocuous; safe; benign
to clash; to collide; to conflict; to meet (by chance); to come across; to run into
one's heart; one's feelings; one's inner thoughts; one's mind
to get the hang of; to learn the secret to
to be too much for one; to find unmanageable; to be beyond one's control; to not know what to do with
waiting on a table; serving (at dinner); waiter; waitress; office boy; office girl
to bud; to sprout; to arise; to begin to grow
to break off; to come to an end; to be interrupted; to be cut short; to pause
to check; to hold back; to keep at bay; to stop; to prevent; to stem
to get tired out; to be exhausted
to grow weak; to become weak; to lose strength