black-market dealings; underhand transactions; shady trading; secret dealings; secret arrangement
we'll cross that bridge when we get there; we'll think about it when the time comes
plunking (down something heavy); flumping (into a chair)
century; era; of the century (e.g. fight of the century)
invention; intelligent; clever; (arch.) making sense (of something); (arch.) understanding
absolutely essential; indispensable; vital; critical
unauthorized; without permission; unapproved; lack of permission; absence of authorization
faculty; professorate; group of professors
to empty; to remove; to move out; to clear out; to be away from (e.g. one's house); to leave (temporarily); to dawn
to roar; to reverberate; to be well-known; to be famous; to palpitate; to throb
to become attached (to); to take (to); to become affectionate (with); to be tamed
to take (someone) to one place after another (forcibly); to drag (someone) around
poison fang; sinister ways; crooked means; clutches
dull (e.g. a knife); blunt; thickheaded; obtuse; dull (sound, color, etc.); dim (light)
greeting; a fine thing to say
home area; home town; local
(as for (that)) thing; (given (that)) thing; matter; (it is a ...) thing; matter; fact
delicate; minute; fine; detailed; subtle
tightly (packed); densely; closely; crammed
to be born and raised (in); to be born and brought up; to be born and bred
troublesome; difficult (e.g. customer, guest, child); laborious (e.g. task, dinner)
to be overproduced; to be incredibly good (e.g. for a child); to go much better than expected; to be too good to be true (of a story, etc.)
hiding at all costs; desperate cover-up; doing one's best to keep (something) secret
fear; dread; fright; willies
bluff; false show of power; bold front
seductive; carnal; troubling; difficult; anxious; uneasy
lovely; dear; beloved; pitiable; pitiful
frustrated (over a failure, humiliation or injustice); annoyed; chagrined; (bitterly) disappointed; bitter; vexed
(mental) agony; anguish; suffering; distress
to breathe (heavily); to pant; to gasp; to live
doing things at one's own pace (e.g. slower than others); doing things one's own way (esp. in an inconsiderate manner)
to loathe to part (with); to be reluctant to leave (someone)
slowly; tardily; complaining; grumbling; unsettled (e.g. weather); loose
gauge; standard; length; size; (measuring) rule; scale
trying to think of a way (to); devising means (to); working out (how to do); contriving (to raise money); managing
achievements; actual results; accomplishments; past results; track record