(rock) crystal; high purity quartz
palace; tonic (of the Japanese and Chinese pentatonic scale); ancient Chinese punishment (castration for men, or confinement for women); zodiacal sign
the way it was; the way it used be; as of old; in former times
(not) at all; (not) in the slightest; wholly; entirely; extremely; very
uninterested; unconcerned; plain; light; flowing gently
to go through; to pierce; to run through (e.g. a river through a city); to pass through; to stick to (opinion, principles, etc.); to carry out
to be overawed; to be overpowered; to lose the mental battle
slow; time-consuming; late (in the day); towards the end (of the day or night); later (than expected or usual); late
to loiter (on the way); to waste time
habit (often a bad habit, i.e. vice); tendency; peculiarity; idiosyncrasy; crease; wrinkle
consideration (for); thoughtfulness; solicitude; care; watchfulness; concern
expressly; especially; taking the trouble (to do); intentionally; deliberately
to read and understand; to take in; to sense from external cues; to read (someone's) mind; to read (calibration, tape, etc.); to scan (bar code)
meek; quiet; docile; mysterious; marvelous; marvellous
to proceed in a logical manner; to go through the proper channels
private enterprise; private business; private company; private firm; private-sector business; private-sector corporation
but then; although; though; reasonable; natural; just
these days; nowadays; present day; at this time (of the day)
multinational corporation; transnational corporation
worst; poor and boring; uncool
hegemony; leadership; initiative
and various other things; and many others; and all the rest; and so on and so forth
state of things; state of affairs; condition; situation; circumstances
fate; destiny; connection; tie; pretext; justification
I wonder; do you think?; I might; some kind; some stage; somehow
sour (expression); (lit.) as if having swallowed a bitter bug
stern expression; severe expression; grim expression
concrete; definite; specific; material; substantial
remarks; comments; way of talking; speaking style; excuse; topic (of conversation)
agreement; concurrence; conformance; compliance
same; similar; (just) like; equal
use; utilization; utilisation; application
suitable; proper; appropriate; perfunctory; half-minded; sloppy
holiday; day off; furlough; absence (from work)
now (while the time is ripe); while one still can
spare time; free time; time (e.g. time it takes to do something); time off; day off; quitting (one's job); firing someone
that child; that kid; that boy; (arch.) you
to bring up a subject; to touch on a matter
looking on; remaining a spectator
certainly; without fail; right and wrong; pros and cons