Vocabulary

day by day

stubbornly; firmly; determinedly; obstinately; resolutely; adamantly

ace up one's sleeve; trump card; last resort

through (the medium of)

paying for one's mistakes; getting one's just deserts; suffering the consequences (of one's own actions); reap what you sow

to one's face; face to face; directly; openly

incoherent; wandering; vague; rambling; whimsical

a day after the fair; (at a) stage when it's too late

no problem; it doesn't matter

back of the hand

life

vinegared dish; pickled dish

like cats and dogs; (on) very bad terms; relationship of dogs and monkeys

there's no (other) way

blood (in one's face, cheeks, etc.); colour; color

half-cooked; vague; halfhearted; indecisive

wide difference; a world of difference

to like; to be pleased with; to be delighted with; to take a liking to; to suit one's fancy

false charge

on the occasion of; at the time of; when; during

unnatural death; violent death

barren land; sterile soil; wasteland

thick fog (of suspicion); black veil of secrecy; covered-up crime, unethical act, etc.

author unknown; anonymous

wooden floor; room with a wooden floor

several men, several minds; everyone has his own (ideas, tastes, interests, etc.); different strokes for different folks

secluded; innermost

desperation; struggle to the death

sea of blood; pool of blood

being tired out

clincher; pick-up line; honeyed phrase; telling phrase; phrase that brings someone around, esp. in personal relationships

perverseness; obstinacy; something unreasonable (like pushing a cart from the side (instead of from behind))

had better ...

particularly; only; in the case of

shall I?; shall we?

won't (hasn't, isn't, doesn't, etc.)

trifles; minor details

an instant; a split second; no time at all; time of an "ah!"

this sort of; this type of

before very long; soon; someday; one of these days; sooner or later