superior; boss; them (as opposed to "us"); the elite; person above; upstairs neighbour (neighbor)
obedient; submissive; docile; meek; pliant
downstairs neighbour (neighbor); subordinate
management; (executive) staff; leaders; leadership; top brass; upper echelons
very hungry; starving; bowing repeatedly; kowtowing; denting; buckling
unsociable; unfriendly; blunt; surly; curt; cold
roundabout (e.g. expression); indirect (reference, criticism, etc.); oblique
to make a cynical remark (about); to make a sarcastic remark (about); to satirize; to mock
(time of) one's childhood; when one was a child
to receive favor; to receive assistance; to receive help; to be looked after; to be taken care of; to become dependent (on)
to inhale; to breathe in; to suck up; to swallow up (in a crowd, whirlpool, the darkness, etc.); to suck in
close to; directly (e.g. staring); suddenly (e.g. stopping)
to abate; to decrease; to diminish; to shorten
isn't it?; let's ...; why don't we ...; how about we ...
excitement; stimulation; agitation; arousal
I'm sorry; my apologies; may I come in?; permission; leave; dismissal
to express (orally); to put into words; to say out loud
entrance; entry; gate; approach; mouth
bad-mouthing someone so as to be deliberately overheard; intentionally letting someone hear insults or sarcasm regarding them
(sound of) footsteps; sense or sign that something is approaching
going out; outing; leaving (one's home, office, etc.)
pout; displeasure; ill humor; ill humour; sullenness
clear writing; specification
to get cloudy; to cloud over; to cloud up; to fog up; to be gloomy; to be clouded (expression)
to drive away; to clear; to scatter; to disperse
futility; waste; uselessness; pointlessness; idleness
distrust; mistrust; insincerity; impiety; faithlessness
to mix (with); to be mixed (together); to be mingled
absence; being away from home; house-sitting; house-sitter; neglecting (e.g. one's studies); leaving unattended
one cause; one reason; one factor
on the contrary; rather; instead; all the more
to get complicated; to grow worse; to turn sour
official; governmental; public (use, matter, forum, etc.); common; being public knowledge; being out in the open
to be interested in; to take an interest in; to care about
reading; reading (of a kanji, esp. kun reading); reading (e.g. of a situation); insight
to puzzle over; to think deeply about; to rack one's brains over (wrack)
presumably; conceivably; in my opinion; in my view; I think (that); upon thought
things left (to one) by the deceased; inherited item; estate; lost item; lost property
some; any; in any way; of some kind; of some sort
doubt; suspicion; question; strangeness
persistent; obstinate; tenacious; relentless; insistent; importunate
invitation; solicitation; canvassing; canvasing; inducement; persuasion
reason; logic; sense; natural way of things
to use one's influence; to pull strings; to take measures; to make the necessary preparations