to finger; to play with; to make changes to; to tinker with; to dabble in; to do as a hobby
cunning; craft; guile; slyness
(brute) force; using all one's might
to fill with holes; to riddle (e.g. with bullets)
to be pretentious; to put on airs; to show off
to gnaw; to nibble; to bite; to dabble in; to know a little bit about; to learn a little of
as a rule; in general; in principle; basically; essentially; fundamentally
to become decrepit; to become senile
incineration; destruction by fire
to bring to light; to expose (to the world)
yours sincerely; respectfully yours
battle of wits; contest of wits
to be outdone (by); to be in inferior (to); to compare unfavorably (with); to be behind
flexibility; pliability; softness; elasticity
to swallow (e.g. a story); to accept without questioning; to swallow (food) whole; to gobble up; to gulp down
lack; absence; shortage; deficiency; privation
mention (in a document); record; entry; statement; listing
back country; remote countryside
isolated and helpless; alone and unassisted
pomegranate (Punica granatum)
to establish an emotional bond with; to reach out to; to relate to
Japanese plum (Prunus salicina); Chinese plum
to set up; to raise; to nominate; to choose as a representative; to push; to shove
to succeed to someone's post; to take someone's place; to take over someone's position; to step into someone's shoes
gaping (e.g. mouth, wound); (opening) wide; wide open; snapping up (e.g. bait); biting into (food); gobbling up
broken piece; below (a certain level, point, quantity, etc.); dropping below; illegal downloading and distribution of commercial software; warez
passing through (of a tunnel, bullet, etc.); going (right) through; penetrating; (arch.) being well versed (in)
to tear off; to peel off; to rip off; to strip of (clothes, rank, etc.); to deprive of; to divest of
preventing (someone) from leaving; confinement; keeping indoors; being stranded; grounding
to light (a fire); to kindle; to incite; to instigate; to stir up
broke; poor; short; skint; having no money
to plan one's next moves; to work out a plan
pat; tap; pop; crack; cutesy suffix applied to names
(swimming) pool; pool (cue sport); pooling (money, resources, etc.); pool (price ring)
coward; namby-pamby; wimp; weak-kneed person; spineless person
after; post; ex-; after the fact; ex post
good fortune (esp. omikuji fortune-telling result); good luck; auspiciousness; unspecified day of the month (used to obscure the date a letter, invitation, etc. was written)
civilian in military employ
bipartite; in two parts; double