to have one's attention caught (by); to be distracted (by); to be preoccupied (with); to be captivated (by); to be absorbed (in)
creaking; squeaking; packing in tightly; cramming; hard (pressing, tying, twisting, etc.); tightly
to become defiant; to fight back; to turn upon; to take the offensive
men and women; man and woman; both sexes; both genders
dispersion; scattering; spreading out; diffusion
to speak distinctly; to speak clearly; to put it bluntly; to get to the point; to be frank
to put in order; to arrange; to get ready; to prepare; to adjust; to regulate (e.g. rhythm, tune, one's breathing)
doing as one is told; yes-man
thump-thump; bang-bang; pit-a-pat; to beat fast (of one's heart); to throb; to pound
switch; switch; points; switch (from one thing to another); change
abruptly; suddenly; all of a sudden; without warning
patterns of thinking; train of thought
arrival (of post, news, correspondence, etc.); receiving (a phone call, email, etc.)
to bump heads; to bump into each other; to collide head-on; to meet by chance; to encounter; to run into
different person; another person; someone else; changed man
wrong; groundless; different; separate; unexpected; surprising
to be suspected (of); to be under suspicion (of)
lifeboat; friend in need; helping hand; timely help
to take out (e.g. garbage); to put out (e.g. dishes on table); to serve (e.g. meal); to get out (e.g. food from cupboard); to submit (e.g. ideas, opinions); to provide for
to detain; to check; to restrain; to stop
interpretation; explanation; reading; construction
mistake; error; accident; mishap; improper conduct (e.g. between man and woman); indiscretion
social life; social intercourse
practice; experience; habituation; being used to; being comfortable with; being experienced in
without (making) any mistakes; flawlessly; accurately
to be nervous; to be sensitive; to worry; to be fussy; to be precise
grudge; complaint; reproach
glittering; sparkling; glistening; twinkling
hardly any; almost nonexistent; very little
to cross one's mind; to spring to mind; to occur to one
(not) readily; (not) easily; (not) right away; (not) simply; (not) without difficulty
to begin to say; to start talking; to broach (a matter); to be the first to say; to suggest (doing); to propose
to feel down; to feel sad; to be in a slump (business, economy, etc.); to be in an unfavourable condition; to fall into (e.g. a hole)
to separate (by distance, time, etc.); to isolate; to interpose; to have between; to alienate; to estrange
location (of something); whereabouts; hiding place
to be worried; to be troubled
somehow; for some reason; without knowing why
dizzying (speed, changes, etc.); rapid; drastic; bewildering; hectic; bustling (e.g. world)
oh well, fine; fine, I guess; alright, I suppose; OK, then
just before; just prior to; right in front of; just in front of
to spoil someone's start; to kill someone's enthusiasm; to take the wind out of someone's sails
just before; on the verge of; on the brink of; just in front of; just ahead of
clasp; latch; catch; fastener