barking up the wrong tree; calling at the wrong house
to throw out; to drop; to toss; to abandon; to neglect; to dismiss
implication; nuance; shade of meaning; connotation
southern country; southern provinces; southern lands
president (of a nation); big man; boss; buddy
taxpayers' (precious) money; hard-earned tax money; heavy tax; conscription; compulsory military service
dwelling; house; residence; address
here and there; this way and that way; everywhere; all over
ambush; lying in wait for an ambush
gathering spot; haunt; rendezvous; meeting place; hang-out
before very long; soon; someday; of the previously mentioned; of that number; among them
plan; scheme; plot; design; project; intention
to assume the air of ...; to behave like ...; to put on airs; to be self-important
stronghold; inner citadel; base; headquarters
to stroll about; to saunter; to wander; to dangle; to swing
wandering samurai; soldier of fortune; brigand; hermit; mountain ascetic; itinerant priest
matchless; unequalled; unequaled
creative work (e.g. artistic, literary)
to practice magic; to practise magic
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
tough; stubborn; determined; severely; heavily; hard
to get information; to find out; to get wind of
bold; audacious; impudent; unashamed; unabashed
to gather; to crowd round; to sponge (off someone); to scrounge; to extort; to take (money) through intimidation
matter to be checked or investigated
not the time for; not the place for; far from; anything but; ... is out of the question; ... isn't the word for it
too-good-to-be-true offers (e.g. scams and frauds); too-good-to-be-true stories
societal mood; social context
orphan; person without friends
to inflate (figures); to jack up (e.g. a score); to pad
to take a bath; to have a bath; to take a shower
to refuse; to reject; to deny
address (e.g. of house); residence; domicile
uncertainty; insecurity; inconstancy; indefinite; undecided
approval; agreement; support; favour; favor
plan; scheme; (payment) plan; package; deal
to listen repeatedly; to listen again; to ask a question in return; to ask again; to ask for a repeated explanation
prior; beforehand; in advance; before the fact; ex ante
aimlessly; without a goal
stronghold; inner citadel; base; headquarters