overly serious; serious to a fault; humorless
immediately; instantly; with nary a pause; without a moment's delay
point of tangency; point of contact; (electrical) contact; point of contact (between); connection
secret manoeuvres (maneuvers); operating behind the scenes
to indulge in; to give oneself up to; to be obsessed by; to be engrossed in; to be lost in; to be absorbed in
apprehensive; vaguely fearful; gloomy (about the future); somewhat alarmed
to put oneself in (situation, environment, etc.); to surround oneself with
heated (e.g. debate); passionate
love affair; sensual pleasures
coward; namby-pamby; wimp; weak-kneed person; spineless person
God only knows; it's anyone's call; heaven knows
truth; reality; seriousness; truth; printed style writing; star performer
estimate; guess; direction; bearings; registration mark (printing); approximately
to bring to a finish; to bind firmly; to superintend
relation; connection; relevance
guest of honour; guest of honor; privileged guest; visitor
king; sovereign; daimyo with a domain of one or more provinces (Edo period)
to (keep in) mind; to give heed to; to pay attention to
to become clouded; to darken; to darken (of a face); to worsen; to deteriorate
to spread; to be propagated
one's person; around one's person
to be lit (e.g. candle, lamp, light bulb); to be lighted; to be burning
middle of summer; height of summer; midsummer
reading (farsighted) glasses; spectacles for the aged
consensus; collective will; collective opinion
script; screenplay; scenario
one's own judgement (judgment); decision made without consulting others; arbitrary decision; dogmatism
very likely; very probable
autonomy; right of self-government
having no idea what will happen; God only knows; there is no knowing; you never can tell
to win one's first battle (game, match)
association; socializing; socialising; fellowship
to raise (to maturity); to bring up; to rear; to train; to educate
half a lifetime; half one's life; one's life so far
coordinator; coordinating role
show; performance; show; exhibition; TV show
but; however; (and) yet; nevertheless; still; for all that
much more; not to mention; not to speak of; to say nothing of; let alone
embankment; bank; beef sinew stewed in miso and mirin
to run (up hill, stairs, etc.)
to come to see; to come and see; to visit
nagging; faultfinding; carping; captious
minimum; at the very least
to lose; to miss; to forget; to be excessive
a little bit; a little while
all out; like hell; like crazy; desperately; (lit.) expecting to die