to shorten; to reduce; to crumple (fabric); to wrinkle; to make (one's body) smaller; to draw in (one's legs)
to scoff; to laugh at; to make fun of; to ridicule; to jeer at
cat (esp. the domestic cat, Felis catus); feline; shamisen; geisha; wheelbarrow; clay bed-warmer; bottom (submissive partner of a homosexual relationship)
photography (still or motion); photographing; filming; shooting; (video) recording
moving tale; impressive tale
to spread; to be propagated
television; TV; TV program; TV programme; TV broadcast
gathering material (for an article, novel, etc.); collecting information; covering (an event, incident, etc.); reporting; interview (for a news story)
specialization; specialisation
collapsing in the street (from exhaustion, illness, etc.); falling dead in the street; person lying dead in the street
key word; key phrase; clue; keyword; search term; index term
looking up (e.g. a word in a dictionary); search (e.g. on the Internet); retrieval (of information); reference
to transfer (to a different place, group, etc.); to change; to move to the next stage (of a plan, etc.); to divert (one's attention) to; to focus on (something different); to spend (time); to let (time) pass
to arrive (at one's destination); to reach; to come to a head; to reach a conclusion; to culminate (in)
to freeze (to something); to be frozen (to); to freeze hard; to freeze completely
creakingly; squeakingly; tightly (squeezing, pressing, etc.); (drinking) in one go
boy; son; baby boy; young man
affinity; feeling of closeness (with someone); feeling of kinship
circumstances; conditions; situation; reasons; state of affairs
such ... as; or some such
veterinarian; veterinary surgeon; vet
to take (someone to a place); to take (someone) with one; to take along; to lead away
neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity
to be attentive to small details; to be attentive to others (or others' concerns); to have one's mind turn groundlessly to something negative
to see (a doctor, etc.); to consult (someone)
weakness; debility; breakdown; prostration
(medical) treatment; care; therapy; cure; remedy
I'm told; is what I heard; is how it is, apparently; is what they said
veterinary clinic; veterinary hospital
cat lover; ailurophile; love of cats
wallet; purse; coin purse; billfold; pocketbook
bitter smile; wry smile; strained laugh; sarcastic laugh
proposal; proposition; suggestion
extravagant spending; wasteful spending; splurging; squandering
silence; being silent; quiet; reticence; inaction
clumsy; awkward; unskillful; incompetent; inept; bungling