starting point; starting line
waiting room; anteroom; antechamber; green room
(fighting) spirit; motivation; shout (for getting in the right mood to deal with something, etc.); cheer; kiai; short shout when performing an attacking move
to spoil someone's start; to kill someone's enthusiasm; to take the wind out of someone's sails
in turns; in series; in order; by rotation
to smile cheerfully; to crack a smile
calculating; sly; cunning; flirty; flirtatious
third place; third rank; third rank (in the Japanese court system); Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
to win through (e.g. to finals); to advance
breaking through; breakthrough; surmounting (a difficulty); overcoming; exceeding; passing
to shoot (a gun, person, etc.); to fire
I, myself; one-self; by one-self; even I; even one
light; bright; bright (colour); cheerful; bright; bright (future, prospects, etc.); rosy
easy victory; walkover; easy peasy; child's play; cakewalk
to finish up; to complete; to finish off; to get through; to polish off
all-night vigil over a body; wake
evaluation meeting; postmortem session; review meeting
this school; the school in question
hard fight; close game; struggle; tight contest
skill; proficiency; experience; dexterity
keenly; deeply; calmly; quietly; fixedly (gazing, staring); intently
way of speaking; intimation
monopoly; monopolization; exclusivity; hogging; keeping to oneself
counting "stars" to tally the score to date; how well something has gone (e.g. in terms of wins over losses)
to gain an advantage; to enjoy an advantage; to turn the tables (on)
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
point spread; point difference
negative; passive; half-hearted; unmotivated
idea; conception; way of thinking; approach; expression
zero (points, marks); no marks; zero (of a function); root; zero degrees (Celsius); freezing point
present point (i.e. in history); at the present time
lead; leading; leading (in points, goals, etc.); getting ahead; lead (from a base); lead (of an article); lede
as expected; sure enough; after all (is said and done); in the end; too; also
overall victory; championship; winning the title; (being in) heaven; bliss; perfect contentment
irrational (line of) argument
to draw (a thread); to let out (e.g. a rope); to head out as a group; to set out in large numbers; to send out one after another; to dispatch
from the viewpoint of; according to
foolhardiness; recklessness; savage valour; savage valor; brute courage
brawl outside the stadium; fighting outside ring (wrestling); ring-side battle; verbal fight via the media
having not yet occurred; having not yet appeared; undiscovered; not yet invented; unpublished