clandestine meeting (of lovers); assignation; tryst; (lovers') rendezvous
coherence; order; focus; point
material (for a story, article, etc.); information; joke; jest; proof; evidence; (magician's) trick
formidable enemy; strong enemy; tough enemy
dragon (as depicted in Western myths)
mostly; ordinarily; probably; most; almost all; ordinary
financial circumstances; financial situation; circulation of money
to be popular (esp. with the opposite sex); to be well liked; to be pampered (spoiled, doted upon, etc.); to be welcomed
peak period; pinnacle; prime; zenith; glory days
matchless; unequalled; unequaled
to boast of; to be proud of; to take pride in
troublesome; difficult (e.g. customer, guest, child); laborious (e.g. task, dinner)
scattered; separated; dispersed
unsociable; unfriendly; blunt; surly; curt; cold
violence; assault; rough (handling, language, etc.); reckless; rape; sexual assault
sincere; honest; faithful
dear (old); fondly remembered; beloved; missed; nostalgic
memories; recollections; reminiscence
killing time; keeping oneself occupied; time killer; wasting time; waste of time
for dear life; barely escaping alive
wallet; purse; coin purse; billfold; pocketbook
completely empty; penniless; flat broke
waste of labor or energy; waste of labour; vain effort
waste of effort; thankless task
parched; dried-up; empty; hollow; rattling; clattering
it is assuredly that ...; can say with confidence that ...
to be surprised; to be bewildered; to be confused; to be flustered; to roll one's eyes up and down
fiction; made-up story; fable; fabrication; myth
patching (clothing); darning; cobbling together (other people's writings, thoughts, etc.); gathering
improvisation; improvised; impromptu; extempore
(professional) storyteller; hereditary role of narrator in early imperial court
swindler; fraudster; trickster; con man
to omit; to leave out; to overtake; to pass; to say; to speak
to interrupt (with frivolous remarks, silly jokes, etc.); to butt in; to make teasing remarks
thrust; charge; digging into (a matter); depth; straight man (of a comedy duo); quip; gibe
monastery; convent; cloister; abbey
sister (sibling); (Catholic) sister; sister (female partner in a homosexual relationship)
infiltration; sneaking in; going undercover
how about ...?; I wonder; I don't know
to lose interest; to be dampened (of enjoyment, interest, etc.); to fall flat; to turn sour
to tell (a story); to give an account of (an event, experience, etc.); to relate; to tell of; to show; to indicate
to whirl; to eddy; to swirl; to whirl around (of feelings, thoughts, etc.); to swirl around; to surge
to turn away (one's eyes, face, etc.); to avert; to displease; to annoy; to miss (the target, ball, etc.)
(young) girl; maiden; young lady