delivery; issuance; handing over; granting
tentative decision; unofficial offer (esp. job offer); informal offer
bitter (e.g. criticism); sharp; biting; severe; scathing; harsh
financial difficulty; distress
completely; entirely; nonchalantly; as if nothing happened
in a sense; in some way; to an extent
reluctant; unwilling; involuntary; unintentional; unintended; unlooked-for
committee; commission; board; panel; committee meeting
rewards and punishments; rewarding good conduct and punishing evildoing
truth; reality; sincerity; honesty; content; substance
intention; inclination; mind; idea; wish; view
private person; individual
on this occasion; now; in these circumstances; with this opportunity
even if; no matter (what); if; though; although; supposing
face; official stance; public position or attitude (as opposed to private thoughts); ceremony for the erection of the framework of a house
operation plan; scheme of operations; plan of campaign
at the most; at best; to the utmost; as much as possible; as much as one can
moderate; reserved; modest; temperate; restrained; low-key
fingertip; finger; toe tip; toe
jaw; chin; barb (of a fishhook)
to pinch; to hold (between one's fingers); to pick up and eat; to snack on; to pick out (the main point); to summarize
temptation; allurement; lure; enticement; seduction
to revive; to come to oneself; to be restored to life
look; glimpse; apparently; seemingly; (arch.) first meeting
normal practice; proper practice
to be disconnected; to get out of place; to miss the mark; to get it wrong (e.g. guess, expectation); to be removed; to be excluded
magic; conjuring; sleight of hand; legerdemain
to belong to; to come under; to be affiliated with; to be subject to
to attack; to assault; to challenge; to take on; to be bold; to be audacious
foundation; root; basis; root and trunk
welcome; (warm) reception
(mental) agony; anguish; suffering; distress
to be full; to wax (e.g. moon); to rise (e.g. tide); to mature; to expire
(not) very; (not) so; (not) very much; (not) particularly; (not) especially
throwing in; inserting; investment; commitment (of funds, personnel, etc.); launching (a product into the market); introduction
ignominious defeat; crushing failure; utterly beaten; overwhelming defeat
simplicity; brevity; letter; note; bamboo writing strip (in ancient China); simplified Chinese character
main point; essential point; important thing; necessity; need; requirement
advantage; point in favor; point in favour
push-button war; war started or ended with the push of a button (e.g. to launch a nuclear missile)