doubt; question; uncertainty; skepticism; scepticism; suspicion
rich (flavor, color, etc.); strong (e.g. odor); probable; (very) likely; passionate; sensuous
(member of the) yakuza; gangster; hoodlum; racketeer; useless; worthless
to covet; to crave; to indulge in; to do ceaselessly; to eat greedily; to devour
foothold; footing; toehold; stepping stone
collecting; collection; collation; gathering; arrangement; coordination
link; connection; filler; stopgap (job, budget, etc.); thickener (e.g. in cooking); thickening; hedging
front company (for an organized crime operation)
trouble; quarrel; difficulties; complication; tangle
having sticky fingers; compulsive thievery; habitual movement of one's hands; marks from being handled often
veteran (e.g. soldier); battle-hardened; seasoned; (of) long military service
tough guy; wild one; veteran (in a particular field); expert; person of surprising audacity; someone with a lot of nerve
document screening; paper screening; narrowing down a field of applicants based on resumes, written applications, etc.
if you like; if you prefer; if it suits you; if it's fine with you; if you don't mind; if necessary
manipulation of information; spin
maneuvering behind the scenes; backroom deals; dodgy dealings
to carry on one's shoulder; to shoulder; to bear; to bear (a burden, responsibility, etc.); to take upon oneself
to hinder; to obstruct; to disrupt; to interfere with; to cause a delay
beginning of the year; early in the New Year
decrease; reduction; fall; depreciation; mitigation
article; thing; object; property; real estate
instructor; advisor; adviser
public interest; public benefit; public good
roundabout (e.g. expression); indirect (reference, criticism, etc.); oblique
manufacturing plant; production facility
permanent; everlasting; lasting; very long; many years of
negative thinking; pessimism
to shake one's head (in denial)
temporary employee placement
three persons; three parties
small; fine; detailed; stingy
trade; buying and selling
scorn; disdain; contempt; slight
dissenting opinion; opposite viewpoint; contraview
defeating an argument; winning an argument; refutation; confutation
to row (a boat) to (a pier, shore, etc.); to reach (a goal after considerable effort); to arrive at; to (finally) manage to do
tiny amount of money; a penny; one letter; one character; one mon (unit of currency)
to drive (e.g. a horse, carriage); to control; to manage; to govern; to rule
intensive; concentrated; focused