inferior goods; faulty item
to press; to oppress; to dominate; to overwhelm
to become less crowded; to thin out; to get empty; to be hungry
to help; to assist; to aid; to contribute to; to be a factor in
total darkness; pitch dark; bleak future; poor prospects
to go out (e.g. on an excursion or outing); to leave; to depart; to be about to leave; to be just going out
to eat; to live; to make a living; to bite; to sting (as insects do); to tease; to torment
condescending attitude; arrogant attitude; looking down on
retort; back talk; backchat
December; twelfth month of the lunar calendar
twenty-fifth day of the month; twenty-five days
showy; brilliant; gorgeous; florid; gay
calamity; disaster; accident
to wriggle; to squirm; to crawl like a worm
to wind; to coil; to envelope; to shroud; to outflank; to skirt
being put to shame; being outshone; being eclipsed; feeling embarrassed
repulse; repelling (e.g. the enemy); driving back
story; tale; talk; discussion
on a routine basis; regularly; habitually
intimacy; friendship; friendly relations
last third of a month; 21st to the last day of a month
to approach; to draw near; to be imminent; to press (someone for something); to urge; to compel
interview (i.e. television, newspaper, etc.)
plump; rotund; chubby; entirely; completely; wholly
cut; cutting; haircut; shuffle (cards); shuffling; scene
screen (of a TV, computer, etc.); image (on a screen); picture; surface of a painting (picture, drawing, etc.)
to see everything; to see all; to abandon; to give up; to sell at a loss; to sell off
keep ...-ing; have been ...-ing; leaving (something) on; leaving (something) still in use
in a sense; in some way; to an extent
three (long cylindrical things); three-of-a-kind (in a dealt hand)
news coverage; collecting data (e.g. for an article); covering (something for media); interview
high rating; good reputation