extraordinarily; astonishingly; extremely; terribly; unreasonably; absurdly
central pillar (of a building); mainstay (e.g. of an economy); backbone (e.g. of a family); provider
snappingly; with a snap; merely ...; having just ...
complication; confusion; disorder
board or officer's meeting
(courteous) invitation; call
corporate acquisition (buyout)
smelling burnt; smelling scorched; smelling of gunpowder (i.e. as if armed conflict is about to break out); tense; suspicious; dubious
opaque; obscure; opacity; obscurity; unclear; unpredictable
and various other things; and many others; and all the rest; and so on and so forth
back; backing; going backwards; background; backdrop; backhand; backer
to screw up; to put the screws on (a person); to constrict (someone, something)
questioning; interrogation; examination (of a witness)
returning home; visiting one's parents; new bride's first visit to parents
accidental; incidental; occasional; casual
beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning; initially
in line with this; therefore
it's been a long time; long time no see
peril; danger; hazard; distress
paying an unannounced visit; rudeness
morality; righteousness; meaning; teachings; doctrine; nonconsanguineous relationship (i.e. of in-laws)
to confute; to argue down; to persuade; to convince; to prevail on
to win over; to win (someone's) heart and mind
taking great pains (to do); making every effort; having a lot of trouble (doing); racking one's brains
ought to do; have to do; must do; feel obliged to
flat; even; level; plain (speech, etc.); simple
stale; hackneyed; cliched
to make a fresh start; to turn over a new leaf; to call again; to visit again; to come again
to jar; to grate; to make others uncomfortable
natural virtue; personal virtue
looks (esp. of a woman); features; ability; capability; (public) estimation (esp. of a man); credit
to make sure of; to ascertain; to confirm; to grasp
to take advantage of an opportunity
to render futile; to bring to naught; to waste; to not make good use of
extremely busy; (lit.) wanting even the help of a cat
(outward) looks; features; face; countenance; expression
to stumble a step or two forward (when trying to stop); to pass one's destination and stumble a step or two forward; to totter
unshapely; ill-formed; misshapen; awkward; clumsy