to become better; to improve
unable to compete with; not able to make a dent in (e.g. a problem); not able to get a solid hit in (e.g. in a fight); hard to chew
from time immemorial; ancient; time-honoured; time-honored
highest grade; superlative degree
town; city; municipal; urban
one night; all night; overnight; one evening
to follow around; to shadow; to tag along; to haunt one (e.g. feeling, failure); to follow one
to have rumors going around (rumours); to have rumors spread
at once; immediately; without delay; promptly
mumbling; chewing one's words; chewing (food); squirming; wriggling
to take good care of; to treasure; to value; to hold dear; to prize; to cherish
how; in what way; how (much); to what extent; however (much); no matter how
precious; valuable; priceless; noble; exalted; sacred
fame; reputation; popularity; rumour (rumor); talk
sharp drop; plunge; nosedive; slump; (value or amount) plummeting
not the time for; not the place for; far from; anything but; ... is out of the question; ... isn't the word for it
dubious; puzzled; suspicious
he; she; that person; (arch.) you
one's own strength; one's own efforts; self-salvation
knowledge; awareness; consent; acceptance; forgiving; pardoning
competition; contest; rivalry; competition (between organisms or species)
to smile (at); to grin (at)
seat; place; position; status; gathering; party; stand
contacting; (making) contact; connection (with a train, bus, etc.); joining (a railway line, etc.); connection (between matters, incidents, etc.); relation
to lament; to grieve; to regret; to deplore
drinking bout; merrymaking
celebrity; famous person; public figure; big name
to kill (a human) using a blade (sword, machete, knife, etc.); to slice (off); to lop (off); to cut (off)
to hit (e.g. to have a car hit someone); to run into; to reject; to deny; to eliminate; to exclude; to flip
to remember; to recollect; to recognize; to recognise
switching off (e.g. electricity); turning off (e.g. water); off-season; offset; off-road; off-line; off (the price)
very; extremely; terrible; horrid; remarkable; extraordinary
badness; evilness; bad; evil
fiction; fabrication; concoction; fictitious; fictional; imaginary
unexpectedly; surprisingly