oracle; revelation; divine message
lately; recently; these days
not funny; not a laughing matter; not a joke
betting ticket with a payout of at least 100 times
generous; magnanimous; open-handed; liberal
to die down (of a fire); to be brought under control; to decline; to wane; to fall off
shoring up (a company, industry, etc.); propping up; bolstering; manipulation (of the market, esp. to prevent a sudden fall); jacking-up
people with a pure and innocent image (esp. actresses, singers, etc.)
occupations dependent on public favor (favour)
six of one, half a dozen of the other; scant difference
row; line; group (of peers); ranks (of); sequence; series (taxonomic rank)
to enter; to go in; to set (of the sun or moon); to sink; to attain (nirvana, enlightenment, etc.); to achieve
the opposite direction; the other way
queue jumping; breaking into a line; interrupt; wedge
basic tone; underlying tone; trend; keynote
interior design; interior; upholstery
gaudy; loud; garish; intense; harsh; extreme
scarlet; crimson; cardinal red
couch; bench; ottoman; settee
to provide; to arrange; to install
appointment; meeting (e.g. with a customer)
this and that; this or that; one thing or another; around; about; round about
20th day of the month; 20 days
at regular intervals; evenly spaced
intelligence network; information network
(in) secrecy; behind closed doors
to become vulgar; to coarsen
vividly; clearly; distinctly; acutely
superficially polite but actually rude; rude under a veneer of politeness; courteous on the surface but insolent at heart
to lose one's virginity (of a woman); to become sexually active
to be temperate in; to refrain; to make notes; to jot down (e.g. phone number); to be in preparation for; to be in waiting for
slowly; unhurriedly; without haste; leisurely; at one's leisure
large and rough; big and tough; unrefined; rustic; extreme; excessive
putting an idea into someone's head; suggestion; hint
to run (a business); to operate; to carry out; to perform; to hold (a Buddhist or Shinto ceremony)
back (of a chair); backrest
look who's talking; you're one to talk; you can talk