our country; our land; one's own country
life or death; existence; destiny
to surpass; to outstrip; to excel
people; citizens; subjects; folk
touching a wrong card (in karuta); buzzing too early (in a quiz); making a mistress of a servant; mistress (who is one's servant)
virile; tough; masculine; intense
superior; excellent; brilliant; outstanding
(necessary) personnel; required person
nod; inclination of the head
whereabouts; place; location; place where one belongs; where one fits in; place where one can be oneself
unreliable; uncertain; indefinite; unclear
presence; sitting with; being with
crisis; critical situation; emergency; pinch
chance; start; cue; excuse; motive; impetus
germination; germ; sprout; bud; sign
to be a live-in employee; to live in; to live with
inconsequential; indifferent; not worth worrying about; whatever; whichever; I don't care
(what) one is trying to say; (what) one wants to say; (what) one is saying; (what) one means
especially; particularly; surely; clearly; as if; as though
hall; saloon; spacious room; reception room
to fall completely silent; to become still as death
mutually; with each other; reciprocally; together
opportunity; occasion; (arch.) order; (arch.) sequence; (arch.) successor
cushion; pillow; mattress
disrespect; irreverence; impiety; blasphemy; profanity
to fall (of rain, snow, ash, etc.); to come down; to form (of frost); to beam down (of sunlight or moonlight); to pour in; to visit (of luck, misfortune, etc.)
if anything; if pushed I'd say; if I had to say
long time (since the last time); first in a long time
the farthest ends; the furthest ends
near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon
remainder; remnant; (not) very; (not) much; too much; excessively
long (time); longstanding; for a long time
search; lookup; hunt; (item of) research; exploration; investigation
demon; devil; evil spirit; -crazed person; -obsessed person; fiend