to win after tough bidding
to borrow; to rent; to hire; to make use of (another's help, wisdom, etc.); to obtain; to use (for another purpose)
to return (something); to restore; to turn over; to turn upside down; to pay back; to retaliate; to respond (with)
unusual; unwonted; uncharacteristic
three; three years of age
very difficult to ...; nearly impossible to ...
to ask (about); to inquire; to enquire; to question; to make sure of
call; summons; call; invocation; usher who calls the names of wrestlers, sweeps the ring, etc.; telephone number at which a person without a telephone can be reached; (arch.) box-shaped area containing clean water for rinsing oneself (in an Edo-period bathhouse)
flower; blossom; cherry blossom; beauty; blooming (esp. of cherry blossoms); ikebana; hanafuda
to replace; to convert; to exchange; to interchange; to substitute (person, staff member, player, etc.)
better; preferable; more; increase; (arch.) increase; (arch.) growth
(cutting) with a single stroke; lopping off (branches, etc.); (cutting hair) short; drastically (slash a budget, etc.); resolutely; ruthlessly (discard, etc.)
to talk or say too much; to go too far; to overstate; to exaggerate
sometimes; occasionally; at times; seasonal; of the season; appropriate (for the season or occasion)
favorite (to win); favourite; one's heart's desire; first choice; chocolate given to a man on Valentine's day out of genuine sentiment
on the way; en route; in the middle of; midway; halfway
to draw back; to sink; to be set back (e.g. from a road); to withdraw (e.g. from the public eye); to retire to (somewhere)
it's not like; it isn't as if
sleeping; feeling sleepy; beddy-bye
winning a match; won match
to sing; to sing of (love, beauty, etc.) in a poem; to express in the form of a poem; to recite (a poem)
with a bang bang (e.g. repeated sound of a hammer or gunfire); at a mad pace; with great vigor
to grow long (e.g. hair, nails); to lengthen; to extend; to reach out; to hold out; to straighten; to smooth out
to sit (down); to have a seat; to be seated; to assume (a position); to take on (a duty); to occupy (a post)
not funny; not a laughing matter; not a joke
feature; trait; characteristic; peculiarity; distinction
subtle; delicate; difficult; complex; doubtful; questionable
to invade; to attack; to breach; to penetrate
once; for a short time; briefly; (arch.) one morning
hard; solid; stiff; tight; strong; firm (not viscous or easily moved); safe
wiping out; sweeping away; eradicating; dispelling
the staff; inside the department
decision of a contest; finals
to drive into (e.g. a nail into a board); to hit into (e.g. a home run into the stands); to throw into (e.g. jail); to drum into (someone) (an idea, skill, etc.); to hammer into
one chance; only opportunity
sense of orientation; sense of direction
receiving; welcoming; going to meet; final call; call of fate; approach of death
(weather) front; front line; the front; battlefront
light (i.e. not heavy); feeling light (i.e. offering little resistance, moving easily); light (i.e. of foot); effortless; non-serious; minor; slight
to get better; to get well; to recover (from an illness); to be cured; to be restored; to heal