homecoming; return to one's home
guidance; showing the way; guide; guidepost; signpost; waymark
vague; faint; dim; indistinct; hazy; blurry
and so; therefore; for that reason
to make snide remarks; to put into bad mood
dark; gloomy; somber; depressing
attendant; valet; servant; follower
flour dealer; miller; mill
accepted; fully-fledged; clear; respectable
flood of customers; roaring business
to be pretentious; to put on airs; to show off
rustic; unsophisticated; provincial; hick; cornball
to sieve; to sift; to winnow; to screen (candidates)
half and half; fifty-fifty
ill-bred; poorly brought up
high; tall; expensive; high-priced; high (level); above average (in degree, quality, etc.)
lacking cargo; in ballast
to shun; to balk at (doing); to grudge (doing); to take (good) care of (esp. one's health)
main; principal; chief; primary; major
dealing with (people, customers, complaints, etc.); receiving (callers, visitors, etc.); attending to; handling; serving
with a lot of fat; with a heavy build; with a portly build; with a stout build
to hang (something) on the wall
some; any; please; anyway; anyhow
market (for goods, services, etc.); outlet (for selling); opening
reclamation (e.g. of wasteland); cultivation; development; pioneering; opening up (e.g. of a new market); breaking new ground
dear me!; good gracious!; well; let me see; now
I shouldn't say this, but
to insert; to include; to incorporate; to install; to embed
fate; chance; relationship; tie
first-time customer (of an inn or a restaurant); chance customer; customer without an introduction from a regular customer
postponement; deferment; hesitation; delaying; suspended sentence
of bad character; ill-natured; nasty; vicious; wicked; malignant
rural area; countryside; the sticks; hometown
have no relation to; have no luck with; not be fated to
impassioned speech; fervent speech
live coals (for firelighting); cause (of disturbance, conflict, etc.); trigger
glutinous rice steamed with red beans or some other ingredient; (arch.) trickery; (arch.) deception
had better ...; had better not ...
unusual; unwonted; uncharacteristic