dark history; dark past; something one wants to forget or pretend never happened
heart; guts; nerve; central part
internal organs; viscera; intestines
painful; difficult; distressing; (psychologically) difficult; straitened (circumstances); tight (financial situation)
counterattack; counteroffensive; counterblow
card (information, filing, etc.); card (greetings, congratulations, etc.); (Western) playing cards; credit card; debit card; match; game
incompetence; laziness; worthlessness; good-for-nothing; loser; weakling
finishing blow; coup de grâce
(dragging a large or heavy item) slowly; (falling) little by little; (slipping) gradually; on and on; while putting off; with a slurp
(a) step; one step; level; stage; small degree; small amount
to step forward; to step forth; to advance; to start; to embark on; to set forth on
breaking up (e.g. meeting); dispersing (e.g. crowd); dissolving (company, organization, etc.); liquidating; dissolving (diet, parliament, etc.)
all kinds of things; various things; large number of people
blade; sword; forged blade; wavy pattern on forged blades; sharpness; unhulled rice
soft; tender; gentle; mild; informal; light
strongly; violently; quickly; suddenly
to stick into (of something with a sharp point); to prick; to pierce; to resonate emotionally; to move
tired; frazzled; tiresome; tiring; draining
such; this sort of; like this
especially; particularly; surely; clearly; as if; as though
insipid; flat; dull; lifeless; listless
to tease; to make fun of; to poke fun at; to make a crack about; to chaff; to kid
trauma (usu. psychological)
splendid; nice; sufficient; fine (in the sense of "I'm fine"); well enough; OK
retirement; retiring (from a race, match, etc.); dropping out
to shake one's head (in denial)
to raise; to elevate; to do up (one's hair); to fly (a kite, etc.); to launch (fireworks, etc.); to land (a boat); to show someone (into a room)
I'm sorry; my apologies; may I come in?; permission; leave; dismissal
to apologize; to apologise
subtle; delicate; difficult; complex; doubtful; questionable
(my) wife; inside the home; one's family
one; 1; best; first; foremost; beginning; start
metre; meter; meter; gauge
to keep; to preserve; to hold; to last; to endure; to keep well (food)
to break; to be broken; to be folded; to give in; to back down; to turn (a corner)
malicious; spiteful; vicious; shady and damp
rest; recess; vacation; holiday; dormancy (of a silkworm prior to moulting)