each time; always; often; thank you for your continued patronage
anecdote; brief (comic) story
the trouble is that ...; the problem is that ...; unfortunately; annoyingly
being extremely fond of; having a weakness for; having no eye for; being a poor judge of; having no chance (of succeeding)
disposition; inclination; characteristic; sexual disposition; fetish
drunken driving; driving while intoxicated; drinking and driving
green light (traffic); green light; go-ahead signal; permission to go ahead (with something)
condominium (usu. mid or high-rise); apartment building; apartment house; block of flats; apartment; flat
surrender (to the authorities); giving oneself up; turning oneself in
landline telephone; fixed-line telephone
lisping; poorly expressed; unclear (wording); imprecise (expression)
not quite (right); not very good; somewhat (lacking)
long; drawn-out; very long
professional comic (rakugo) storyteller
pitch; tone; time; tempo; mood; tendency
or rather (say); or better (say); or perhaps I should say; or, how should I put it,...; I mean
counter for parts, stages, installments, etc. (of a story, series, project, campaign, etc.); counter for bullets
clerk; office worker; kulak
Boys (The Shirelles song)
small token (of gratitude); my (humble) feelings
short joke; quick one-liner; one-shot joke
Second World War (1939-1945); World War II; WWII; WW2
alphabet; ABCs; the ABCs (of); basics; activity-based costing; ABC
encirclement; encircling net; tight besiegement
setting a question (for an exam, quiz, etc.); setting a theme (for composition of poetry)
posing a question; question
Latin alphabet; Roman alphabet; romaji; romanized Japanese; system of transliterating Japanese into the Latin alphabet
to read and understand; to subject to close analysis; to read deeply; to decipher; to decode
axle; pivot; center (of power, activity); central point; the Axis (WWII alliance)
to sprain; to twist; to dampen (enthusiasm); to discourage; to dishearten
party in full swing; party at its peak
to become a little hungry; to become a bit peckish
food; foodstuff; eating; appetite; meal; portion
from the beginning; from the first; all along; of course
making a round trip; going and returning; round-trip ticket; return ticket; correspondence; exchanging (letters)
diffidence; losing one's nerve; feeling awkward; feeling timid; being daunted
to loathe to part (with); to be reluctant to leave (someone)
to launch; to shoot up; (of waves) to dash; to wash up (ashore); to finish (e.g. a theater run, sumo tournament); to close
circumference; girth; tour; pilgrimage; circulation (e.g. of blood)
final coat (of paint, plaster, varnish, etc.); finish; glazing; adding more of the same (of something negative, e.g. shame)