Vocabulary

doing one's own flower arranging

even if it means living in dire poverty; by all means

owning nothing except the clothes on one's back

Closed to Traffic; No Thoroughfare

sooner or later

namely; that is (to say); in other words

pretending not to see (something); turning a blind eye (to); closing one's eyes (to); looking the other way

see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil; the three wise monkeys

total fire ban; no source of ignition permitted; no open flame; flammables!

(any) more; further; in addition (to this); on top of this

lately; recently; these days

as is; as it is; as things are; like this; this way; at this rate

head of a household; business owner; proudly independent person

one who experiences a chronic ailment takes better care of his health and lives longer

unable to put up any resistance; unable to put up a fight; not standing a chance (against)

plot (of a story)

cannot understand; doesn't make sense; unconvincing; hard to swallow; doesn't ring true

bathhouse thievery; stealing someone else's clothes and valuables at a bathhouse

privately; with outsiders barred; en famille

watercolors; watercolours; watercolor paint; watercolour paint

unauthorized copying forbidden; all rights reserved

so slight as to be all but non-existent

tortoise shell

the older, the wiser

unfulfilled (by); unsatisfied (with); (still) not satisfied; leaving something to be desired

chance; opportunity; lucky break

feigned ignorance; pretending not to know

manner of speaking; mode of expression; way of saying something

natural (ability)

just right; ideal; perfectly suitable

gibberish

painful reproach; a needle in one's scalp

anyone can make a mistake; even Homer sometimes nods

something easy to do; cinch; a kappa's fart

astounding; tremendous; wild; crazy; exorbitant; outrageous

in a quarrel, both parties are to blame

one after another; continuously; incessantly; in succession; by turns

doll; puppet

rough estimate; mental arithmetic

rough estimate; mental arithmetic