black curtain; wirepuller; mastermind; backroom manipulator
participation; taking part in; participating in; being concerned in
to operate (e.g. a machine); to handle; to have a good command of (a language); to play proficiently (of a musical instrument); to work (a puppet); to pull the strings of a puppet
vacantly; blankly; openmouthed; with one's mouth wide-open; with a whack; with a thump
wife; bride; (one's) daughter-in-law
to chirp (of a swarm of insects); to sing; to gather; to swarm
to switch (secretly); to substitute; to sidestep (an issue)
a short time ago; a while ago; for some time
bloodshot eyes; (doing something in a) frenzy
to leak out (a secret); to be exposed (a lie, improper behaviour, etc.); to be found out; to get away (of fish)
in the meanwhile; during the time
to harm; to hurt; to injure; to fail to ...; to miss one's opportunity to ...
we'll cross that bridge when we get there; we'll think about it when the time comes
reason of being; raison d'être; meaning of one's existence
superb view; picturesque scenery
to chat enthusiastically; to chatter; to talk on and on
to take off (clothes, shoes, etc.); to undress
effect; result; worth; use; avail
indicates two contrasting actions; (arch.) indicates possessive (often found in place names and compound words)
finishing writing, work, etc. at a stroke (stretch); knocking something off without a break
to take on; to undertake; to take over; to inherit; to guarantee; to vouch for
to examine; to look up; to investigate; to check up; to sense; to study
to shoot (at); to attack; to defeat; to destroy
simile; metaphor; allegory; parable
convenient; expedient; makeshift
investigation (e.g. academically, of the unknown); close inquiry (enquiry)
curiously; curiously enough; oddly enough; to the point of being mysterious; to the extent of being strange
nature (of a person); sex; gender; sex (i.e. sexual attraction, activity, etc.); gender; -ty
precipitous; rugged; inaccessible; grim; severe; stern
hint; intimation; suggestion; inkling
echo; reverberation; spirit of a tree; tree spirit
coincident with; while; simultaneously
to take notice (of); to pay attention (to)
to assault with a sword; to stab at; to slash at
blunt (e.g. sword); dull; lazy; cowardly; good for nothing
of no use whatsoever; good for nothing; useless
to bend backwards; to bend oneself back; to be taken aback
roughly; approximately; (cutting) in one stroke; (breaking apart) with vigour; (cutting) deeply; (splitting) wide open
to kill (a human) using a blade (sword, machete, knife, etc.); to slice (off); to lop (off); to cut (off)
bursting out (laughter); breaking out (applause); in a rush; in a surge; suddenly; all of a sudden
quickly, suddenly (while one is watching); before one's eyes