pinch; crisis; tough spot; clothespin
downfall; ruin; collapse; destruction
prediction; prophecy; prognostication
material (for a story, article, etc.); information; joke; jest; proof; evidence; (magician's) trick
... being the case; (precisely) because ...; as might be expected from ...
sense of impending crisis; sense of danger
all over Japan; throughout Japan
encompassing; covering (exhaustively); including (all of); comprising; comprehending
a certain someone; Mr So-and-so
to destroy; to overthrow; to wreck; to ruin
Satan; the Devil; the Prince of Darkness; king of the demons who try to prevent people from doing good
at the very beginning; first of all; first and foremost; before anything else
to go to ruin; to go under; to fall; to be destroyed; to die out; to become extinct
to be popular; to come into fashion; to be prevalent; to spread widely (e.g. disease); to flourish; to thrive
to arrive home; to return
fashion; trend; vogue; prevalence (of a disease); epidemic
distant (from someone); aloof; estranged; knowing little (of); ill-informed (about); ignorant (of)
reliable; dependable; trustworthy; sure
attractive; good-looking; stylish; cool; smooth; neat
brilliant; glorious; glittering; bright; splendid (e.g. achievement, success); promising (e.g. future)
elucidation; explication; explaining; unravelling; clarification; understanding
small build; small stature; petite; small pattern
skill; workmanship; dexterity; quality
estimate; guess; direction; bearings; registration mark (printing); approximately
equal (in ability); even; evenly matched; well-matched; on par (with)
alias; pseudonym; pen name; nom de plume
unusual beast; strange beast
king; ruler; tycoon; magnate; king (of the senior player)
reigning; controlling; dictating
to raise (esp. overhead); to brandish (e.g. sword); to flourish; to wield (e.g. power, authority); to proclaim one's principles
unable to resist; unable to suppress
boss; leader; head; boss (difficult enemy, usu. at the end of a section or level)
one's favourite party trick (favorite); one's specialty; No. 18; eighteenth; repertoire of 18 kabuki plays
to make matters worse; besides; what's more; in addition; on top of that
the end of the line; the end of the road; curtains
desperate situation with no escape; being driven into a corner; being cornered; last extremity
(in) dire straits; (in a) serious bind; (in a) big pinch
impatient; tantalized; tantalised; irritated; chagrined; chagrinned
standoffishly; primly; pungently (of a smell); acridly; long and pointed (e.g. of a nose); popping (of ears)
noisy; loud; much talked of; much-discussed; strict; severe
to make a great fuss; to raise a hue and cry; to make an uproar; to clamour
fondly; admiringly; with fascination; with adoration; with enchantment
satisfactory; decent; good; proper; worthy