strength; power; proficiency; ability
revival; reconstruction; restoration; rebuilding; recovery; renaissance
dull; uninteresting; insignificant; unimportant; absurd; foolish
examination; exam; test; trial; experiment; test
study; diligence; working hard; experience; knowledge; discount
promotion; raising of status
test (of ability, knowledge, etc.); exam; test (of performance, quality, etc.); trial; rehearsal
to begin to say; to start talking; to broach (a matter); to be the first to say; to suggest (doing); to propose
full of confidence; brimming with (self-)confidence; having great faith in oneself
in this way; along these lines; similarly
one's days and nights being reversed
to deny; to contradict; to negate (esp. a sound); to drown out
faint; fainting; losing consciousness
not having enough workers; being understaffed; having nothing one can do about something; having no options; no reason not to ...; can't afford not to
easy; simple; there's no way that ...
(cutting) with a single stroke; lopping off (branches, etc.); (cutting hair) short; drastically (slash a budget, etc.); resolutely; ruthlessly (discard, etc.)
disliking; hating; tendency; smack (of); distinction; discrimination
fixed idea; idée fixe; stereotype; prejudice
with a clatter; with a rattle; (almost) empty; (mostly) vacant; raspy (voice); gravelly; with a gargle
counter for parts, stages, installments, etc. (of a story, series, project, campaign, etc.); counter for bullets
ball; sphere; bead (of sweat, dew, etc.); drop; ball (in sports); pitch (e.g. in baseball); pile (of noodles, etc.)
basis; grounds; base (of operations); base (of a group of stones)
far and away the best; the very best; cream of the crop; crème de la crème; decisive lead; commanding lead
corner; edge; (street) corner; turning; rough edges (of one's character, words, etc.); abrasiveness
to approach; to draw near; to gather (in one place); to come together; to stop by (while on one's way to another place); to drop by; to grow old
thin; slender; fine; unlucky
(one's) countenance; face
(picture) frame; framed picture; amount (esp. of money); sum
to adhere to; to stick to; to keep close to; to go along with; to get involved with; to be thick with
to shut one's eyes; to close one's eyes; to turn a blind eye (to); to close one's eyes (to); to die
pitch-dark; pitch-black; completely dark; very bleak (future); utterly hopeless
white; innocence; innocent person; blank space; white stone; white dragon tile; skewered grilled pig intestine
spots; speckles; mottles; speckled; spotted
pattern; figure; state; condition; conjecture of the current situation; the way it seems; model
planet; dark horse; surprise contender
image (on a screen); picture (e.g. on a TV); video; film; reflection; image (in one's mind)
although at this late hour; now, although it is too late; afresh; anew; again
terrain; geographical features; topography
to resemble; to look like; to be like; to be alike; to be similar; to take after
extra; more; unnecessary; needless; all the more; even more
languid; weary; listless; melancholy
calmly; quietly; gently; be quiet!
to find difficult to guess; to struggle to work out; to be unable to figure out