step; stair; shelf; layer; grade; level; dan (degree of advanced proficiency in martial arts, go, shogi, etc.)
under (influence, control, conditions, etc. of); during (war, occupation, etc.)
side street (often parallel to a main street); back street; alley; alleyway
multi-tenant building; building containing a mixture of businesses, shops and residential apartments
sale; selling; selling point; gimmick; seller; vendor
snugly; neatly; compactly; cosily
to lend; to loan; to let out on hire
perfect; complete; thorough; leaving nothing to be desired; more than satisfactory
financials; on the funding (capital) side
backing (an initiative, candidate, etc.); support; backing up (another player); covering; backup
unanticipated; unexpected
... is the reason; ... is my excuse
both in name and reality; both in name and substance
feeling keenly; fully realizing
to be able to manage somehow or other
disastrous; tragic; miserable; wretched; pitiful; woeful
to be careful; to pay attention; to take care
chaos; confusion; disorder; chaotic; confused; uncertain
experience; history; record; career
safety; security; safely; without incident; good health; inaction
unhurt; uninjured; flawless (e.g. gem); unblemished; spotless (e.g. reputation); faultless (e.g. performance)
to guess; to sense; to presume; to sympathize with; to sympathise with
to benefit; to profit; to gain; to reap rewards
sword (esp. Japanese single-edged); katana; scalpel; chisel; burin; knife money (knife-shaped commodity money used in ancient China)
parliament building; parliament house; National Diet Building (Japan); (US) Capitol; Houses of Parliament; National Assembly building
to take one's leave; to excuse oneself; to resign (from); to step down; to decline; to turn down
completely; thoroughly; decisively; unsparingly; beyond recognition; until there's no untouched (undamaged) part
outline; summary; gist; roughly; about; nearly
difficult to imagine; quite unlikely to; very doubtful; would not expect
battle; fight; fighting; engagement; contest
political and business circles; political and business establishment; politics and industry
backing (for a position); giving support to; helping (someone) to a position
gushing forth; bursting out; (lit.) like breaking a dam
the facts; the truth; the true state of affairs; in truth; in fact; in reality
to squeeze out; to wring out
to reject; to repulse; to repel; to bounce back; to counterattack; to strike back
to topple over; to be overturned; to capsize; to be overruled; to be reversed; to be discredited
point of a spear; spearhead; focus (of one's attack, criticism, etc.); aim; force (of an argument); edge
anticipated questions and answers (e.g. for a press conference, interview or oral exam); collection of hypothetical questions and answers