self-education; self-instruction; self-study
declining; refusal; nonacceptance; turning down; withdrawal (e.g. of candidacy); pulling out (e.g. of a race)
ill-natured; mean; nasty; sadistic; cruel; mean-spirited
to respond; to answer; to meet (e.g. demands, expectations); to affect; to take a toll; to strike home
originally; by nature; from the start
disliked; hated; tendency; smack (of); distinction; discrimination
another person; other people; unrelated person (i.e. not related by blood); outsider; stranger
to attempt; to test; to try out
to be congenial; to agree with one; to be in one's nature
narrow-minded; obstinate; stubborn; perverse; unreasonable; warped
Mr.; Mrs.; Miss; politeness marker
success or failure; result
anyhow; anyway; somehow or other; apart from ...; setting ... aside
ability; capacity; capability; physical strength
indicates reason or excuse; indicates dissatisfaction; indicates desire to be pampered or indulged
though; although; be that as it may; nonetheless
just like that; quite so; I agree; (lit.) that street
to decrease (in size or number); to diminish; to abate
mouth; opening; hole; mouth (of a bottle); spout; gate; door
slipping out (a chuckle, giggle); unintentionally (letting out a quiet laugh)
to become rounded; to roll into a ball
with a clink; with a flop; suddenly; all of a sudden
it seems; I think; I guess; right?; don't you agree?
to sit for an examination
prior; beforehand; in advance; before the fact; ex ante
mental preparedness; being braced for; being steeled for
it is assuredly that ...; can say with confidence that ...
unfortunately; sorry, but ...
other (place, thing, person); the rest; outside; beyond; nothing except; nothing but
tasks; things to do; errand; business (to take care of); affairs; engagement
circumstances; conditions; situation; reasons; state of affairs
solicitude; consideration; concern; (excessive) kindness
speech; words; one's lines; remarks
complex; complicated; intricate; mixed (feelings)
to go by; to cross; to pass by; to flash across
unusual; rare; new; novel; fine (e.g. gift)
self-deprecation; self-derision; self-mockery; laughing at oneself
to be mixed together; to be blended; to intermingle; to commingle
bending; curving; warping (of feelings, logic, etc.); distortion; refraction; inflection
instant; moment; for an instant
I see; that's right; indeed
feeling obliged; being grateful; being thankful; (arch.) shrinking back in fear
usual; normal; everyday; usually; normally; generally
avenue; street; coming and going; street traffic; flow (of water, air, etc.); transmission (of sound); reach (e.g. of voice)