area; region; district; locality
to play a leading role; to play a central part
to rule; to govern; to reign over; to subdue; to suppress; to quell
provincial city; provincial town; suburban city; regional towns and cities
industry; (arch.) livelihood; (arch.) occupation
animal husbandry; livestock industry
8000; eight thousand; many
nucleus; backbone; medium-level; mid-level; main body (of troops); crack troops
famous; noted; eminent; prominent; distinguished; celebrated
reproduction; duplication; reprinting
to take up one's residence
splendor; splendour; gorgeousness; showiness; gaudiness; extravagance
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)
handwriting; handwritten; hand-drawn; hand-painted
binding (of a book); design (of a book cover)
exactly alike (in appearance); like two peas in a pod; (practically) identical; spitting image (of); carbon copy (of)
high rating; good reputation
autumn period; autumn term (e.g. school); fall period; fall term
to hunt out; to flush out; to round up; to impress; to recruit
before one's very eyes; under one's nose; imminence; close at hand
just like; (virtually) no different from; (almost) the same as; as good as (e.g. dead, settled)
to brace one's core (e.g. when carrying something heavy); to bear down; to exert oneself; to push oneself; to pay generously (for); to splurge (on)
to copy; to duplicate; to describe; to depict; to imitate; to model after
useless; no future in it; doesn't make sense; having no point
rate; ratio; comparatively; contrary to expectations
metre (unit of length); meter; meter; gauge
protective wall; defensive wall; barrier; bulwark
to enclose; to surround; to shelter (e.g. a criminal); to shield; to keep (e.g. a mistress); to store (vegetables, fruit, etc.)
along; parallel to; in accordance with
half-moon; half a month; semicircle
post horse; mounted courier; express messenger on horseback; fast horse; swift horse
2nd day of the month; two days
to fire oneself up; to give it one's all; to get psyched; to fire someone up (with scolding, corporal punishment, etc.); to rouse
subsidence; sinking; fall (of a city, fortress, etc.); surrender; fall (in position, rank, etc.); demotion
stake all (on something); play for all or nothing; throwing all into a task
stage; step; level; rank; order; stairs
defense; defence; protection