scissors; shears; clippers; hole punch
insincere smile; ingratiating smile; polite smile; forced smile
reason; principle; general principle (as opposed to individual concrete phenomenon); the underlying principles of the cosmos (in neo-Confucianism)
to form a circle; to move in a circle; (lit.) to draw a circle
prompt efficiency; immediate effectivity
symptomatic therapy; allopathy; makeshift solution; stopgap measures; temporary expedient
to engrave an inscription; to call (designate) itself; to mark; to label
(any) particular; special; particularly noteworthy; worth mentioning
these days; nowadays; now; at present; recently; lately
natural virtue; personal virtue
minority group (party); minority
righteousness; justice; right
to distance oneself (from); to keep (something or someone) at a distance; to maintain a distance (from)
setting a bad example to others
and yet; even so; nonetheless; for all that
to become a (bad) habit; to become a habitual practice; to become addictive; to grow on one; to become moreish
ending; quitting; closing; ending before one had time to do something one wanted or intended to
curious; strange; unusual
to put up with; to endure; to bear patiently
withering; shrivelling; shrinking; contraction; atrophy
rising to action; standing up against; jumping to one's feet
flurried; flustered; upset; nervous; embarrassed
this way and that; (by) various means; (by) every means
way (of doing); manner; method
once you've committed a crime, commit to it; in for a penny, in for a pound; (lit.) if you've eaten poison, (lick) the plate
eating everything (on one's plate, etc.)
tidying up; clearing up; cleaning up; clearing away; putting in order
to lose (something); to get rid of; to eliminate; to remove
to whip; to lash; to give the rod; to spur on; to encourage
disadvantage; handicap; drawback; inadvisability; inexpediency; loss
exactly; just; precisely; punctually; exactly on time
vomit; spew; confessing; extremely; really
to read between the lines
snapping back (at someone) despite being in the wrong; getting mad back
to use (a tool, method, etc.); to make use of; to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.); to employ; to use (time, money, etc.); to spend
to care for someone; to look after someone
return; reaction; recovery; return (from a procedure)
receiving; welcoming; going to meet; final call; call of fate; approach of death