taking a story with a grain of salt; discounting half the story
leaving school during a term
ruin; fall; collapse; downfall; bankruptcy
one's confidant; trusted friend; trusted retainer
capable person; talented person; human resources; personnel
conversion; diversion; changeover; commutation; switchover
don't get me wrong, but ...; I'm sorry
large household; large family; large group (of people); big organization; great wealth
sidelong glance; flirtatious glance
dispute; argument; contention
youthful indiscretion; youthful enthusiasm; youthful excess
inexperienced; immature; green; grassy-smelling; smelling of raw vegetation
nothing but; none other than
to speak frankly; to put things bluntly
and; thereupon; because of that
current administration; present government
military conflict; armed conflict
way of reciting; way of telling a story
splendid; fine; handsome; elegant; imposing; prominent
for heaven's sake (Pete's, mercy's, etc.); for pity's sake; oh stop; lay off
sense of justice; feeling of righteousness; moral sense
(fully) exposed; bare; uncovered; in full view; undisguised; broad (accent)
overreliance on others; excessive babyishness; person who behaves like a spoiled child
(fictional) character; character; personality; persona
disdain; contempt; scorn; abhorrence
deed; act; conduct; behavior; asceticism
to talk about someone behind their back; to backbite
curses come home to roost; (lit.) if you curse someone, dig two graves
contempt; scorn; disdain; despising; looking down on; slighting
to concede one is entirely in the wrong (for the sake of argument)
lonely (place); remote; in the middle of nowhere
to lean coquettishly against; to snuggle into; to nestle into
with a crunching or grinding sound; quickly; promptly; crispily; crunchily
hand; arm; handwriting; penmanship; paw!; shake!
to trouble; to bother; to annoy
it's OK to ...; it's best to ...; it's alright to ...
mercy; compassion; clemency; rufous hawk-cuckoo; northern hawk-cuckoo
to do (someone) a wrong; to do (someone) an ill turn; to take revenge; to resent; to bear a grudge
indecisively; hesitantly; irresolutely; wishy-washily
inarticulate; clumsy with words; poor at speaking
call; visit; inquiry; enquiry; question