up to now; so far; traditional; conventional; usual
backward glance; sidelong glance; faceless ghost with an eye in its rump
speciality; specialty; subject of study; expert; area of expertise
advance guard; vanguard; avant-garde (e.g. music)
middle guard; halfback (e.g. football); center forward (e.g. volleyball); centre forward
undisputed; entirely; perfect
to cross (legs or arms); to link (arms); to put together; to construct; to braid; to plait; to grapple
suddenly; at once; considerably; very much; firmly; with an effort
the past; bygone days; one's past (that one would prefer remained secret); past (tense); preterit; previous life
to lend a hand; to give a hand; to help; to extend a helping hand
for; for the sake of; to one's advantage; because of; as a result of
obedient; gentle; meek; submissive; docile
to take advantage of (someone's) weakness
to attract someone's attention; to arouse someone's interest; to sound someone out; to try to find out someone's true feelings; to (discreetly) probe someone's thoughts
to wake up; to awake; to perk up; to awaken (to the truth, etc.); to come to a realization; to come to one's senses
to spring; to bound; to be stimulated; to be encouraged; to pay handsomely; to splurge
right hand; right-hand side; right-hand direction; (on) the right
difficult to ...; hard to ...
silence (not speaking); muteness
hah (derisively); pooh; pfft (of something disappearing); poof; huff; puff
dive (e.g. into water); (underwater) diving; dive (of an aircraft)
place; spot; address; district; area; one's house; point
shadow or cloud (e.g. on someone's happiness); shade; gloom
(mental) agony; anguish; suffering; distress
look here; I say; well; I know what; I'll tell you what; just a minute
grumbling; complaining; muttering; crumpling (e.g. paper)
to wipe; to mop up; to get rid of (an impression, feeling, blemish, etc.); to dispel (e.g. shame); to erase
dots; spots; bit by bit; little by little; here and there; scattered
rural area; countryside; the sticks; hometown
person's origin (e.g. city, country, parentage, school)
drumming (noise); beating; rapidly; quickly; continuously; one after the other
through; throughout; in the course of; all over or throughout (e.g. a place)
to gather up; to scrape up together; to rake
genius; prodigy; natural gift
revitalization of a village; village renewal (project)
shallow; superficial; thoughtless; short-sighted; foolish; silly
study; diligence; discount; reduction