oh!; good heavens!; ugh!; oh no!; ah!; the penny drops!
line of defence (defense); lines (as in enemy lines, etc.)
middle; midway; middle position; moderate position; interim; intermediary
reserve; spare; preparation; preliminaries
some people; a few people; several people
self-satisfied look; triumphant expression
implication; hidden meaning; latitude; atmosphere; tone; sentiment
way of saying (something); way of putting it; wording; phrasing; language; expression
as always; as ever; though it's always the case
straight ball (pitch); direct (e.g. question); blunt
disagreeableness; unpleasantness; nastiness; cutting remark; disagreeable remark; snide comment
to protect; to guard; to defend; to keep (i.e. a promise); to abide (by the rules); to observe
even so; all the same; nevertheless; yes, but ...
to pour into (liquids); to pump into
gaining total control (of people or counties); suppression; oppression; control; mastery; ascendancy
to balance; to be in harmony; to be in equilibrium; to suit; to go well together; to be a good match
rivalry (between two equally strong sides); struggle for supremacy; competing (with); vying (with); contending (with); being an equal match (for)
valid; effective; yuko (judo)
to cross one's mind; to be reminded
preservation; retainment; keeping
frail; having a weak constitution; being in poor health
stamina; endurance; physical strength; strength of an organization (e.g. profitability, productivity, economic clout, stability, growth potential)
to play a trick on; to cheat; to deceive; to dupe
with no effort at all; easily
influence; effect; to influence; to affect; to have an influence on
breaking the front line; frontal breakthrough
to kill (with a weapon); to defeat an opponent; to get someone out; to arrest; to take prisoner
main force; chief object; mainline
to show up; to appear; to turn up
in 8 or 9 cases out of ten; in all probability
making doubly sure; insurance run (baseball); points scored for good measure
large; big; older; senior; final; ultimate
island; one's territory (e.g. of a sex worker, organized crime gang); one's turf
another; different; something else
leak (of information); leakage (of electricity)
going through; going via; going by way of
delivering an order; dispatch of an order; messenger; orderly; runner
that; the matter in question
secret plan; secret scheme; secret stratagem; secret method
nonexistent; unreal; imaginary; spurious
to be lucky; to be in luck; to be attached; to have; to be included
simple; plain; uncomplicated; straightforward; simple-minded; naive