pinch; crisis; tough spot; clothespin
a (short) time; a while; one time (in the past); a period; (arch.) two-hour period
equal; identical; the same; no different (to); just like; equivalent
about; concerning; related to; -ish
to hang up (e.g. a coat, a picture on the wall); to let hang; to put on (e.g. a blanket); to put on top of; to put on (glasses, etc.); to wear (a necklace, etc.); to make (a call)
painful; difficult; distressing; (psychologically) difficult; straitened (circumstances); tight (financial situation)
one way or the other; either way
not a chance; you wish!; that's not going to happen; that won't work
going up in flames; destruction by fire (esp. of a large building); stirring up a storm of criticism online (of an article, tweet, statement, etc.); becoming the target of an Internet pitchfork mob
originator; ringleader; perpetrator; main culprit; person responsible
to weigh on one's mind; to trouble one's heart; to be concerned about; to worry about
vitality; ability to earn a living
disagreeableness; unpleasantness; nastiness; cutting remark; disagreeable remark; snide comment
dull; uninteresting; dry; insipid; boring; prosaic
to get; to secure; to learn; to master; to complete
old tale; folk tale; legend; reminiscence
to enliven (e.g. a conversation); to animate; to engage in enthusiastically; to become successful and well known
carrying (on one's person or in the hand); mobile phone; cell phone
landline telephone; fixed-line telephone
(one's) older brother; young man; sonny; lad
unable to leave the work at hand; right in the middle of something; tied up; busy
rolled Japanese-style omelette
to burn; to roast; to broil; to heat; to heat up; to make (charcoal, pottery, bricks, etc.); to bake
to hold one's breath; to bate one's breath
hello (e.g. on phone); excuse me! (when calling out to someone)
dealing with (people, customers, complaints, etc.); receiving (callers, visitors, etc.); attending to; handling; serving
(it was) no bother at all; not at all; it was nothing
reliability; trustworthiness; dependability
to change the subject (e.g. away from something awkward or inconvenient)
opposite side; other side; other party
excuse; explanation; justification; defense; defence
to say something is all right; to give the all-clear (e.g. to do something)
innocence; guiltlessness; purity; uprightness; integrity
to break a promise; to go back on one's word; to renege
to take something into ...; to bring in; to lodge (a complaint); to file (a plan); to bring to (a state: tied game, vote, trial, etc.)
fried egg; sunny-side up fried egg
strenuous exertion; spurt; splurge
to wind; to coil; to envelope; to shroud; to outflank; to skirt
best; extra-fine; superfine; exceptionally; extraordinarily; by far
reserve; spare; treasured; valued; (ace) up one's sleeve; trump
preservation; retainment; keeping