dullness; slump; stagnation; inactivity; depression
(dragging a large or heavy item) slowly; (falling) little by little; (slipping) gradually; on and on; while putting off; with a slurp
offence; offense; hindrance
admission; (self-)acknowledgment; (self-)acknowledgement; self-identification
invincible; ever-victorious; unconquerable; unbeaten
(idle) ease; idleness; leisureliness
supporting; shoring up; promotion; propping-up; jacking-up; manipulation
the usual; as it always is; said; that (previously-mentioned person or object); (arch.) in the usual way
to take great care (in doing); to pay attention; to be careful
it's best to; it's safest to; there's nothing better than
safe; vault; storage cabinet
triple; treble; threefold; three-ply; triplicate
elite; best; pick; cream of the crop
plan; project; attempt; plot; scheme; undertaking
to rove; to prowl; to go cruising
side entrance; tradesman's entrance; service entrance; staff entrance
to go (come) inside; to step into; to enter
middle of the night; dead of night; midnight
to forestall; to beat to the punch; to anticipate; to play the first move (e.g. in go)
defeat; loss; reverse; setback
order; command; directions; instructions
competition; rivalry; something worth doing
last drink (of sake); last glass; last cup
to pour (sake); to serve; to drink together
information media; press; news organs
intelligence agency; secret service
group; bunch; crowd; group
to be wildly different; to be on a completely different scale; to be in a different league; to be poles apart; to stand no comparison; (lit.) to be on a different order of magnitude
careful; scrupulous; thorough; conscientious; elaborate; deliberate
blocking (e.g. the way); obstructing; block (lump of something (usu. square), area of town, etc.); block; physical record (e.g. on magnetic tape); concrete block; blocking (from view, esp. of websites, on social media, etc.)
to be remembered; to go down in history