antecedents; ancestor; previous position; previous existence; predecessor organization; predecessor organisation
red eyes; bloodshot eyes; red-eye; red mullet (Chelon haematocheilus); facial gesture of pulling one's eyelid down and sticking out one's tongue
first (of all); firstly; probably; most likely; more or less (satisfactory); on the whole
to start with the looks; to get the trappings right as the first step; to start (at the wrong end) by focusing on the superficial
feng shui; fengshui; wind and water
doubt; misgivings; distrust; suspicion
to yearn for; to long for; to follow (someone); to idolize (for virtue, learning, status, etc.)
alone; by oneself; unaccompanied; unaided; single-handed; without one's family
an army; the whole army; the entire force; first team; first-string players; the cool kids
to be a match for; to rival; to equal; to compare with; to be equivalent to
remainder; the rest; what is left
to gather; to crowd round; to sponge (off someone); to scrounge; to extort; to take (money) through intimidation
dormitory; dorm; residence hall; multi-bed room shared with unrelated travelers (e.g. in inexpensive guesthouse)
proper; right; reasonable
to succeed (a person, to a position, etc.); to inherit; to patch (clothes); to mend; to add (e.g. charcoal to the fire); to replenish with
secretary (government); director; chief
powerful person; influential person
underling; subordinate official
to advise strongly; to insist (on something)
to hurt one's feelings; to rub someone the wrong way
to be harmful to; to hinder; to interfere with; to irritate
to fall ill; to suffer from (e.g. a disease); to have something wrong with (e.g. an inner organ); to be depressed; to feel down
fat; chubby; fatso; fatty; fat person
scorn; disdain; contempt; slight
lowest-ranking; one-star (hotel, restaurant, etc.)
to declare; to assert; to say bluntly; to say straight out
hornworm (caterpillar of a hawk moth); (hairless) caterpillar
finger; hands and fingers; hands
scarf (esp. a lightweight summer scarf worn by women)
anywhere; for all time; through thick and thin; come hell or high water; persistently; stubbornly
bad taste; poor taste; gaudiness; nastiness; nasty behaviour; perverse disposition
that kind; competition; match
rate; ratio; one tenth; ten percent; (comparative) profit; gain; assignment
stylish; smart; with a crack; crisply (e.g. fried, starched); tearing off; ripping off
dark (menswear) suit (midnight blue, black, etc.)