ruler; measure; measuring stick; standard; criterion; yardstick
to measure; to weigh; to survey; to conjecture; to infer; to surmise
standard; criterion; norm; benchmark; measure; gauge
out of office; out of power; in opposition; unaffiliated (e.g. researcher, scientist); in private practice
lion; left-hand (stone) guardian lion-dog at a Shinto shrine
to furnish with; to equip with; to prepare for; to make preparations for; to possess (all that is needed); to be endowed with
to suit (one's needs, tastes, purpose, etc.); to serve; to meet (one's expectations, wishes, etc.); to measure up to (e.g. one's ideal); to conform to (the law, standards, etc.); to be consistent with (reason, morality, etc.)
crossing swords; competing against; contending with; fighting against
to be proud; to be haughty; to be arrogant; to be conceited; to brag; to show off
to smash; to break (into pieces); to shatter; to simplify; to make easy to understand
to lose one's cool; to blow one's top; to flip one's lid; to get angry
to look away (from); to avert one's gaze; to disregard; to ignore; to escape (from); to turn away (from)
to be main; to be principal; to be important
trigger (of a gun, etc.); trigger (for something); immediate cause
discretion; judgement; judgment
hot-blooded; hot-headed; temperamental; impulsive
prickling; stinging; biting; tale-telling; tattling
to be shut; to close; to be locked; to tighten; to be tightened; to become sober
silence; stillness; quietness
by the way; incidentally; sometimes; occasionally; precisely (at that time); exactly
casual; unconcerned; nonchalant; ordinary; normal; regular
gesture; movement; action; acting; performance
vague; obscure; indistinct; hazy; ambiguous
expectation; anticipation; prediction; forecast; conjecture
he; she; that guy; that; that one; that thing
more than most people; more than other people; compared with other people; more than others
management; dealing with; course of events; circumstances; end result (usu. bad); outcome
small; little; slightly less than; just about; somewhat; somehow
being concerned about or mindful of
bitter (taste); sour (expression, look); bitter; bitter (e.g. experience); painful
imitation; copy; make-believe; doing something in a way that only superficially resembles the real thing
to lend an ear to; to listen to
once again; yet again; (there you go) again
all over the country; everywhere in the country; throughout the nation
to track down; to locate; to find out; to smoke out; to ferret out; to chase up
to fix upon (one-sidedly); to (ignore someone's position and) arbitrarily decide something is the case; to scold; to take (a person) to task
prudence; discretion; thought; consideration
shallow; superficial; slight (wound); light (sleep); short (time); early
sickle; leading question; trick question; sickle-and-chain (weapon); spear with curved cross-blades; gooseneck tenon and mortise joint; (arch.) noisiness
to be granted (e.g. a title); to be awarded (e.g. a prize); to be gifted with (a talent); to be taught (e.g. a secret technique); to be instructed; to be initiated
every one (of them); (one and) all; without exception; to a man; to the last person
mind; spirit; attitude; mentality; spirit (of a matter); essence
abnormal; unusual; extraordinary; remarkable; uncommon