Vocabulary

to set on fire; to ignite

to turn on the light

to cook; to heat

to cry against; to denounce publicly

unique; unrivaled; unrivalled; without parallel

to obtain the ratio

to lower the quality

refined; genteel; graceful; decent

to go into the minutest details

to visit (someone) in hospital

to contract a disease; to get sick; to become ill

under the pretext of ill health

to fall ill; to be taken ill

to fill a bottle

to be born poor; to be born into poverty

to take (a person) unawares; to make a surprise attack

of poor appearance; unimpressive-looking; undistinguished-looking; unattractive

to break the seal

deep affection; devotion; profound attachment

close connection; deep involvement; close relationship

thick fog; dense fog

to suffer an embarrassing defeat

to soil one's clothes

to complain about one's hard lot

quirk of fate; curious coincidence; happy chance

to raise someone's position; to raise someone's standing

smack of evil

to redress injustice

to commit vice; to do evil

to make up a shortfall; to cover a shortage; to compensate for a shortage; to fill a gap

to shut the lid

to label; to put a tag on

rain or shine

to stop writing; to put down one's pen; to close (a letter)

to break off writing

to pen; to write; to draw

big arm; brawny arm

to make a dent in one's purse; to have to pay out of one's own pocket

to lay out a futon; to make a bed

to take out a boat; to put out a boat