doing whatever one pleases
to take refuge in; to succeed in running away
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
explanation; exposition; description; account; caption; legend
listen!; you see; mind you; remember
to commit (e.g. crime); to perpetrate; to break (e.g. rule); to violate; to rape; to violate
unintelligible language; incoherent language; talking nonsense; "all Greek to me"; double Dutch; (something) incomprehensible
life; lifetime; career; for life; all one's life; throughout one's life
to gulp down; to swallow deeply; to understand; to take in; to engulf; to swallow up
anything and everything; just about everything
being too late; losing one's final chance
to guide; to lead; to show the way; to derive; to deduce
how; in what way; how (much); to what extent; however (much); no matter how
shrewdness; sharpness; astuteness; acumen; tact
to swing; to wield (physically); to exercise (e.g. power, ability); to exhibit; to flourish; to prosper
greed; avarice; covetousness; greedy person
expectation; assume will happen; forecast
stagnation; deposit; sediment; faltering; hesitation; pause
stage; step; level; rank; order; stairs
the front; honesty; uprightness; decency; normality
very recently; in the very recent past
plot; scheme; trick; design; intrigue; artifice
we are of equal status in this regard; we are in the same boat; the same to you; the feeling is mutual
as (much) as possible; as (much) as one can; wherever practicable; if possible
long ago; already; a long time ago
remote place; backcountry; the sticks; hinterland
unmanned; uninhabited; unattended; shorthandedness; lack of help
ruins (of a building, town, etc.); remains
having said that; on the other hand
which way; which direction; which one (esp. of two alternatives); who
never mind!; don't worry about it
good-for-nothing; worthless
bowl; vessel; container; ability; capacity; calibre
violent; furious; extreme; intense; fervent; vehement
blizzard of falling cherry blossoms; flurry of falling cherry blossoms
field of vision; visibility; view; visual field; (one's) ken
without leaving any trace