head-on; to one's face; squarely; directly; flatly (e.g. refuse)
laid-back; carefree; easygoing; thoughtless; happy-go-lucky
by nature; naturally; by birth; since birth; in one's (entire) life
effect; effectiveness; efficacy; effects (e.g. sound effects, visual effects, special effects)
case (container); case (instance, situation); case
to tighten; to fasten tight; to constrict; to control strictly; to put pressure on; to squeeze (e.g. an economy)
to speak (of something); to be effective; to be powerful; to be helpful
sounding each other out; probing each other
empirically; from experience
background; scenery; background (of an incident, situation, etc.); circumstances; backing; support (from behind the scenes)
(mental) agony; anguish; suffering; distress
to mince; to cut fine; to carve; to engrave; to tick away (time); to beat out (e.g. rhythm); to etch (into one's mind)
large number; innumerable; great many; immense; vast; abundant
wound; injury; chip; crack; flaw; defect
commonplace (of people or animals); ordinary; typical; ubiquitous; run-of-the-mill; found around every corner
(a) step; one step; level; stage; small degree; small amount
to form a partnership or association; to join together; to grapple with
natural; understandable; reasonable; no wonder
heavy (feeling, etc.); gloomy (weather, etc.); oppressive (atmosphere, etc.); stifling; strained
abhorrent; abominable; detestable; ominous; inauspicious; unlucky
company; lot; people; troupe; company (of musicians)
to catch; to capture; to grab; to clutch; to catch hold of (someone); to stop (e.g. a stranger in the street)
sermon; preaching; homily; remonstration; scolding; lecturing
blunder; bungle; gaffe; bungling; stupid; tactless
according to (depending on) the mood of the moment; as one's fancy dictates
incompetence; inefficiency; inability; incompetent person
dull; stupid; thickheaded; slow; sluggish
swing; shake; appearance; behaviour; pretence; pretense; (a customer) coming to restaurant, ryokan, etc. without a reservation or introduction
waste; scrap; garbage; scum; piece of trash; loser
having graduated from high school (as one's highest completed level of education); high school graduate
dregs; sediment; lees (esp. sake); leftovers; by-product; worthless item; junk
neck; head; dismissal (from a job); firing
to hang; to suspend; to hang oneself; to hoist an opponent off of his feet by his loincloth; to turn upwards (as if being pulled); to be slanted (of eyes)
all manner of (verbal) abuse; all kinds of names; abusive language; torrent of abuse; stream of insults
personality; character; individuality; personhood
mount; stand; lens mount; mounting (e.g. a drive); mounting (animal behaviour); asserting dominance
(verbal) abuse; speaking ill of people; bad-mouthing; name-calling; slander; abusive language
ugly; unsightly; hideous; mean; repulsive; disgraceful
to boil down; to concentrate (soup, milk, stock, etc.); to reach a conclusion; to conclude a discussion
to smear all over; to slather on; to besmear; to paint heavily; to spread thickly; to bedaub (with paint)
suppuration; festering; purulence; pyosis; coming to a head; infection
to be sore; to be inflamed; to be bleary; to be dissipated; to be dissolute; to indulge in