detonator; priming; primer; trigger; impetus; spark
physical strength; power; stamina; strength (of a business, economy, etc.)
to use up; to exhaust; to wear out
soft; tender; soft (colour, light, etc.); subdued; informal; light
retrogression; reversal; relapse; doubling back; backtracking
to strain (e.g. one's nerves); to be on edge; to be tense (of an atmosphere); to cover completely (e.g. with tiles, ice, etc.); to spread over; to become covered (in)
complete combustion; perfect combustion; giving one's all; doing one's best; using all of one's ability
graduations (on a ruler, thermometer, etc.); gradations; division; scale
ticktock; chinking (e.g. of a hammer against rock); knocking; dry and hard; (frozen) stiff; hidebound
to intertwine; to become entangled; to get tangled (together); to become intertwined (of matters, interests, etc.); to become connected; to become linked
complex and mysterious (bizarre); complicated and inscrutable
rough (touch, voice, etc.); coarse; gritty; rattling (of beans, beads, etc.)
to run about; to rush about
to step forward; to step forth; to advance; to start; to embark on; to set forth on
lower back; waist; hips; body (of hair, noodles, paper, etc.); resilience; spring
superior; superiors; senior
general situation; general trend; general tendency; large majority (of a group, faction, etc.); majority group
never mind!; don't worry about it
to be completely satisfied; to be completely contented
route; course; path; one's future course (e.g. after graduating high school)
to pin down; to hold down; to cover (esp. a part of one's body with one's hand); to clutch (a body part in pain); to get a hold of; to obtain; to grasp (a point)
to elevate; to raise; to lift up; to flatter; to extol; to praise to the sky
to be submerged; to be soaked; to be pickled; to be well seasoned; to be totally immersed (in a condition, e.g. laziness)
intimidating air; sense of intimidation
existence or nonexistence; presence or absence; consent or refusal; yes or no
all sides; the four cardinal directions and the four ordinal directions; large hanging paper lantern
to tie (to); to fasten; to attach; to connect (one thing with another); to link; to bring together
to kick over; to kick down
to keep (a person) waiting
to find difficult to guess; to struggle to work out; to be unable to figure out
to extract; to pull out; to draw out; to headhunt; to lure away; to poach
to bail out (water); to scoop out
to draw (water); to ladle; to pour (into a cup); to drink (together); to consider (feelings, the situation, etc.); to sympathize with
to dash (water, etc.; on someone or something); to throw (on); to pour (over)
grandfather; male senior-citizen
yearning; longing; aspiration; adoration; admiration