to change; to alter; to transform; to reform; to revise; to amend
foothold; footing; toehold; stepping stone
nature; disposition; temperament; qualities; attributes; talents
(an) unknown; unknown number; variable; unknown quantity; not yet known
city councillor; city councilor; city assemblyman
power; authority; influence
no!; no no!; no, not at all
prominent; eminent; leading; foremost; distinguished
personal history; background; career
to speak (of something); to be effective; to be powerful; to be helpful
great benefactor; person to whom one is greatly indebted
over-fond parent; doting parent
that's enough!; cut it out!; get a life!
personal history; background; log; record; hysteresis
national; founded and run by the central government
exaggerated; bombastic; highly colored; highly coloured
to write down; to note down; to mention; to describe; to inscribe; to mark
in name but not in reality
is something that; is that which
blunt (e.g. sword); dull; lazy; cowardly; good for nothing
to kill; to slay; to suppress; to block; to suppress (a voice, feelings, etc.); to hold back
emptiness; being empty; not carrying anything; unburdened; dishonoured (bill, promise, etc.); false
the deceased; the departed; old friend; longtime acquaintance
violence; reckless action; (an) outrage
wrong diagnosis; misdiagnosis
private; confidential; informal; secret; (within the) family circle; (on the) inside
settlement out of court; private settlement
to receive; to get; to accept; to take (someone's words or behaviour); to interpret; to understand
to withdraw; to leave; to retire; to back down; to give up
member of the Diet; Diet member; member of parliament; MP
to be outdone (by); to be in inferior (to); to compare unfavorably (with); to be behind
large hospital; major hospital
best one could ask for; just what one wants; welcome (news); heaven-sent
background (of a scene, picture, etc.); background (of an event, person, etc.); circumstances; background music; background (activity)
comfort; ease; easy; simple; (economically) comfortable; raku pottery
top; top position; senior management; senior bureaucrat; home page (of a website)
to open the lid; to lift a lid; to open the lid (on); to make public; to start (something); to look at the results (consequences, outcome, effect)
medium; mediocrity; average
number of votes polled; poll votes
having no choice but to ...; all one can do is ...; there's nothing to do except ...; having nothing but ...; there is only ...; having only ...
national politics; political situation; statecraft; body politic