quick on the uptake; quick to catch on; perceptive; intuitive
to repay double the original amount; to repay x times the original amount
torture to death; torment to death
secret language; jargon; cant; argot; slang
stopgap; makeshift; temporary measure
considerable; formidable; tremendous; really something else; exceptional; impressive
to come uninvited; to crash (a party); to butt in
as likely as not; 50-50; even match; tie
explanation (of a text, phrase, etc.); lecture; explanation (in a pompous fashion); (long-winded) lecture; (arch.) storytelling
honourable defeat; honorable defeat; honourable death; trying but being utterly beaten; being completely rejected when professing one's love
last place; lowest position; lowest rank; least significant (bit); lowest order
to sharpen; to hone; to wash (rice); to scour; to polish
plausible; believable; solemn; dignified; serious
pasturing; letting (an animal) run loose; letting (someone) do as they please; leaving (something) to take its own course; letting (an issue) go unchecked
exchange; conversion; replacement; switching (to); switchover
ideal; perfect; most suitable; just right
either way; in any case; one way or another
to finish off; to ensure (something) is dead; to put an end to; to deliver the final blow; to be the best for A
weak; feeble; delicate; frail; helpless
to be visible to; to be seen by; to meet one's eyes
war situation; progress of a battle
exhaustion; fatigue; impoverishment; (financial) exhaustion; ruin
naked; bare; uncovered; frank; open; blunt
utmost limits; extremity; limit
after all; in the end; anyway; (cannot) possibly; (not) at all; (not) by any means
phantom; vision; illusion
beast (i.e. any animal other than man); person reborn into the animal realm; brute (i.e. a contemptible human being); damn it; damn
to jump up; to spring up; to jump (market, price, etc.); to rise sharply; to act rashly; to jump the gun
bodily; physical; corporeal; sexual; sensual; of the flesh
to be flustered; to lose one's presence of mind
to handle (men); to master (a tool); to manage; to acquire a command of (a language)
to work too hard; to try too hard; to strain oneself; to overdo it; to go too far
average; medium; mid-grade (item); regular grade; same level as; equal to
to draw back; to sink; to be set back (e.g. from a road); to withdraw (e.g. from the public eye); to retire to (somewhere)
number of times; frequency; count