to hold on to something (secret, lead in a race, etc.)
attaching and detaching; putting on and removing
pitiful; unfortunate; poor; unpardonable; regrettable
counting one's chickens before they're hatched; (lit.) counting raccoon dog skins before they have been caught
time (for, to do); time (to finish a race, lap, etc.); time-out; thyme
high achiever; student with good academic results
management; (executive) staff; leaders; leadership; top brass; upper echelons
being stuck between a rock and a hard place; being in a dilemma; being torn between conflicting demands
farming out (all of a project) to subcontractors; hundred-percent outsourcing; leaving (a responsibility) entirely to someone else; offloading (a problem, work, etc.); wholesale delegation
reasonably; fairly; hurriedly; in a rush; approximately; about
climax; peak; critical moment; most important stage; turning point
to go with (a companion); to hang out with; to do together
miserable; wretched; unhappy; sad; pitiable
intelligence agency; secret service
to do; to commit; to accomplish; to achieve
to pay a bill; to pay one's debt; to pay one's tab; to pay the price (for one's actions); to face the consequences; to suffer the repercussions
impudent; shameless; brazen; cheeky; presumptuous
real nuisance; becoming inconvenienced by someone else's problems (through no fault of one's own)
to be cloying; to be sick and tired with; to be disgusted with; to stink
democracy; democratic nation
blind acceptance; blind belief; credulity
fabrication; forgery; falsehood; hoax
vigilantly (watching for an opportunity); eagerly; with an eagle eye
to watch for an unguarded moment
to be fragrant; to smell (good); to stink; to smell (bad); to glow; to be bright
nervous; highly strung; sensitive; fussy; worried about petty things
excited condition; excited state
contributing cause; exciting cause; incentive; motive
(all) through (e.g. the night); throughout (e.g. the year); within (e.g. the week); in the course of (e.g. today); all over; throughout (e.g. the world)
trunk; torso; body; body (of an aircraft); fuselage; hull (of a ship)
to be a matter of life or death; to be life-threatening
heartbroken thoughts; heartrending grief; overwhelming sorrow
to be about to get on (a train, bus, etc.); to be about to board; to start (doing); to begin; to get on top of; to lean over
carrying (someone) on one's back (esp. a child); piggyback ride; relying on (someone); being (financially) dependent on
Amur silvergrass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus)