to explain away (a mistake, failure, etc.); to make excuses for; to gloss over; to talk one's way out of
straight to the point; point-blank; frank; direct
head-on; to one's face; squarely; directly; flatly (e.g. refuse)
to explain adequately; to be accountable
treatment; reception; service; working conditions; salary; pay
studying abroad; (temporarily) studying at another school (to learn a specific skill)
change of mind; inconstancy; apostasy
to bring to naught; to bring to nought; to abuse (esp. another's kindness); to empty; to clear
to pity; to sympathize with; to tend to (e.g. an injury); to care for; to appreciate; to recognize (someone's efforts)
justification; rationalization
eagerly; earnestly; ardently
ace up one's sleeve; trump card; secret skills; secret; (arch.) left hand
speaking by proxy; speaking for (someone else); payment by proxy; compensation by proxy; acting for (someone else); carrying out (on someone's behalf)
face; official stance; public position or attitude (as opposed to private thoughts); ceremony for the erection of the framework of a house
to make time; to carve out some time (to do something)
extreme; excessive; terrible; intense; severe; serious
to change; to alter; to reform; to correct; to examine; to check
naked; nude; unvarnished (e.g. truth); plain (e.g. fact); frank
to burst open; to split open; to be bursting with (e.g. youth, laughter, flavor); to bounce; to bound
to struggle; to writhe; to wriggle; to act frantically; to make desperate efforts
to take the blame; (lit.) to cover oneself in mud
criticism; blame; censure; attack; reproach
attacking one opponent then immediately attacking another
to twist; to turn; to writhe (e.g. in pain); to twist around; to turn in one's seat
fall; falling down; inversion; reversal; getting upset; losing one's presence of mind
going into a frenzy; flying into a rage
reverse side; opposite (of the expected); purl stitch (knitting)
being stuck between a rock and a hard place; being in a dilemma; being torn between conflicting demands
reader (person); person who reads the cards (in karuta games); composer (of a poem)
peak; summit; ridge; back of a blade
striking with the back of the sword
perception; sensation; awareness
so much (something) as to (e.g. so moved as to cry); overwhelmed; carried away; because of too much
external injury; external wound; (physical) trauma
incomparable; cannot compare (with); beyond comparison; in another league
not straightforward; not dealt with by ordinary means; very hard to manage
whistling sound; wheezing sound; sound of the wind; wuthering; howling; soughing
useless; vain; aimless; idle