optical illusion; hallucination; misapprehension; delusion
to keep company; to listen to; to associate with; to play against (e.g. a team); to take on (e.g. a rival)
gradually; steadily; slowly; little by little; step by step; by degrees
large quantity; massive (quantity); mass (e.g. mass production, mass transit, mass destruction)
bargain sale; selling cheaply; giving out freely
being produced in a particular region; local specialty
high class; high grade; high rank; seniority
to put on the market; to put out for sale; to put on sale; to become popular
acquisition; obtaining; coming to hand
difficult to ...; hard to ...
frantic; frenetic; inevitable death; brinkmate (inevitable checkmate)
someone else's hands; someone else's possession; hand (worker); aide; labor; labour
to be sufficient; to be enough; to be worth doing; to be worthy of; to do (the job); to serve
very busy (person or thing)
order (for an item); request; demand; condition
(not so) much; (not) very
craftsman; artisan; tradesman; worker; workman
very; considerably; by no means; not readily; middle; half-way point
than; other than; except; but
(positive) economic effect
before one knows it; before one realises; without one's knowledge; without noticing
negotiations; discussions; connection
value; worth; merit; estimation; evaluation; appraisal
introduction; presentation; referral; listing
which (of three or more); well; now; c'mon
influence; clout; leverage
to smoke; to smoulder; to be sooty; to be smoke-stained; to smoulder (e.g. a dispute); to smolder
to feign ignorance; to pretend one doesn't know
inspection; study by observation; field trip; sitting out (e.g. PE class)
youngster; neophyte; greenhorn
thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...
to be moist; to be damp; to profit by; to receive benefits; to become rich; to become at ease financially
bottomless; unlimited; immeasurable; inexhaustible
in a sense; in some way; to an extent
point worthy of note; highlight; high point; good prospects for the future; promise
to make good one's escape; to get away; to outrun; to hold on (and win); to win narrowly
law; rule; regulation; destiny; fate; karma
to kick flying (often a person in sport, martial arts, etc.)
pirate; sea robber; buccaneer; freebooter
rest; recess; vacation; holiday; dormancy (of a silkworm prior to moulting)
port city; harbor city; harbour city