circumstances; conditions; situation; reasons; state of affairs
I'm told; is what I heard; is how it is, apparently; is what they said
number one; first; best; most; game; round
prescribed; designated; appointed; fixed
place; position; location; position; standing; status
to confide; to reveal; to disclose; to lay bare; to speak frankly; to open (one's heart)
how should I put it?; what shall I say?; well, you know; like
munching; crunching; (lightly) scratching (an itch)
to scratch; to perspire; to shovel; to paddle
one cup (of); one glass (of); one drink (of alcohol); full; filled (with); fully; to capacity
first year of high school; first-year high school student
outward appearance; looks
friendly; openhearted; sociable; amiable; good-humored; good-humoured
to speak badly (of); to speak ill (of); to bad-mouth
as if it were about oneself
to get angry; to get mad; to lose one's temper; to scold; to tell (someone) off
to make fun of; to look down on; to make light of
the very end; finish; to the very end; to the last; thoroughly
single-minded; intent; determined; wholehearted; earnest; devoted (to)
happiness; good fortune; luck; blessing
to desire; to wish; to beg; to request; to have something done for oneself
to respond; to answer; to meet (e.g. demands, expectations); to affect; to take a toll; to strike home
serious; earnest; real sword (as opposed to a wooden practice weapon)
these days; nowadays; today; at this time (of day); at this hour
funny; amusing; strange; odd; wrong; unsuitable
main cause; primary factor
(not) a single person; (no) one
to make merry; to be festive
personality-wise; by nature; characteristic
matter of time; question of time
change of heart; change of mind; change in love interest; (arch.) mental derangement; (arch.) madness; (arch.) insanity
observation; survey; measurement; opinion; prediction; thinking
to form; to make; to build up (e.g. a fortune); to create; to accomplish; to achieve; to change (into)
difficult to imagine; quite unlikely to; very doubtful; would not expect
up through; up until; down to; from ... to ... (e.g. from head to toe); everything from ... to ...
to engage in; to participate in; to take part in; to be involved in
several years; a few years
hard; tough; hardware; hard disk (drive)