very rare; very unlikely (to happen); scarcely; seldom; improbable; almost never (occurring)
conversation (just) between you and me; confidential talk
arrangement; pact; agreement
strange; odd; peculiar; queer; curious
enterprise; business; company; corporation
drinking party; get-together (usu. involving alcoholic drinks)
to swell; to rise; to bulge; to rouse; to get excited
raising a question; posing a problem; setting a hare running
load on one's chest; obstacle; hindrance; impediment
besides; furthermore; on top of that; and yet; nevertheless; even so
secret; secrecy; mystery; secret (e.g. to success); esoteric teachings
feeling of fellowship; fellow feeling
poison; toxicant; harm; evil influence; ill will; spite
when it comes to ...; where ... is concerned; if it's the case that ...; if it turns out that ...; if it's true that ...
malicious; spiteful; vicious; shady and damp
devious; cunning; sly; crafty
every year; yearly; annually
huge; vast; enormous; colossal; extensive; large
unprecedented; unique; unparalleled
historical; traditional; historic
God; god; deity; ace; king; superior person
hero; heroine; Eroica Symphony (Beethoven, 1804); Heroic Polonaise (Chopin)
poem; poetry; verse; Chinese poem
actually; really; truly; in practice; practically
dear; beloved; cherished; adored
adventure; venture; venture which is unlikely to succeed; risky attempt; danger
mystery novel; detective novel; whodunit
treasury; treasure house; storehouse; treasure trove; rich source (of)
collection of short stories; collected short stories
to read out (e.g. data from a computer or process); to retrieve
to stop (moving); to come to a stop; to stop (doing, working, being supplied); to come to a halt; to alight; to perch on
regrettable; disappointing; precious; dear; too good for; deserving better
manners; customs; public morals; sex service; sex industry
custom; convention; common practice; (arch.) becoming accustomed (to)
to read to the end; to read through; to read from cover to cover
difficulty; hardship; trouble; infeasibility; inability (to carry out)
century; era; of the century (e.g. fight of the century)
a little; a bit; somewhat; slightly; rather
senior high school; high school
to grow up; to become an adult
at a loose end; having nothing to do
from morning to evening; all day long