to play a leading role; to play a central part
lost game; game with slim chances of winning
sudden drop; sharp fall; nosedive; swoop
to give up (something as hopeless); to throw in the towel
equally (well); as ... as; no less ... than ...; evenly matched; well-matched
set; suit; uniform collection; entirely; all; every one
bitterness; distress; pain; bitterness and astringency
making one's debut; making one's first appearance; (just) showing one's face; showing up; introductory kabuki performance (to introduce the actors); December kabuki performance at Kyoto's Minamiza Theater in which all famous actors perform
leading; prominent; eminent; counting on one's fingers
without rest; tirelessly; incessantly
confident; assured; self-assured; bullish
afterwards; at a later time; later on; after some time
to lose focus; to let one's mind wander; to relax one's attention
speeding up; increase in pace
obstruction; impediment; hindrance; inhibition; blocking; check
nameless; unnamed; obscure; unknown; causeless; unjustifiable
hold; holding; long press (touchscreen gesture); touch and hold; hold (in rock climbing or bouldering); hold (in wrestling)
flabbily; softly; limply; easily (bend); effortlessly; flexibly
one round; one circuit; one revolution; one lap; one turn
to go to the top; to climb to the top; to ascend to the top; to be engrossed in; to be very enthusiastic about; to be infatuated with
mental; mental health; mental state; mental resolve
loss of (self-)confidence; inferiority complex
to catch fire; to be ignited; to ignite; to flare up (of an emotion, controversy, etc.); to blaze; to be ignited (of a dispute, commotion, etc.)
(arch.) like that; (arch.) as such; yeah; uh-huh
foolishness; silliness; stupidity; (arch.) I; (arch.) me
slide (for projection); transparency; (microscope) slide; to slide; to slip; to shift (e.g. a group of items in a schedule)
killer technique; surefire assassination method; special or lethal move, usu. one unique to a certain fighter or fighting style
strict order; peremptory command
to make an appeal (to the public); to rally (people) to one's cause; to call to action; to spur on; to fire (someone) up; to rally (troops, employees, etc.)
squeezing something tightly; sound made by someone (or something) being squeezed; criticizing someone severely; sound made by someone being criticized; hug
compression; condensing; shortening; compression (of data)
apart from that; to return to the topic; enough of that
to knock (ideas) against each other; to present competing ideas; to have a lively exchange of ideas; to smash together; to crash into each other; to throw at each other
to go to the next stage (after failing to reach a conclusion); to be carried over (e.g. to the next meeting); to go into (a run-off, overtime, extra innings, etc.)
to be indicated as the winner of a bout by the raising of the referee's fan; to be declared the winner
lower half of the body; nether parts
to stumble a step or two forward (when trying to stop); to pass one's destination and stumble a step or two forward; to totter
to view in a favourable light; to look favourably on
prominent; eminent; leading; foremost; distinguished