origin; source; basis; base; cause; (raw) material; ingredient
followers; subordinates; being under someone's command
superiors; big shots; higher-ups; VIPs; dignitaries
comrade in arms; war buddy; fellow soldier
to drink; to swallow; to smoke (tobacco); to swallow up; to engulf; to suppress (one's anger, bitter feelings, etc.); to keep down
to advance; to move forward; to carry forward (plans, work, etc.); to proceed with; to raise; to elevate
for now; for the time being; for the present; though not quite satisfactorily; after a fashion
storey; story; stairs; stage (in chronostratigraphy); counter for storeys and floors of a building
to seclude oneself; to shut oneself away
looking or acting as if one owned the place
unheard-of; unprecedented; unparalleled in history (unparallelled); record-breaking
because; the reason is; if you want to know why
it is ... that ...; precisely; although; while; it is precisely because ... that ...; only because ...
in accordance with; according to; as X, then Y (e.g. as we age we gain wisdom, as wine matures it becomes more valuable, etc.)
scheming; planning; maneuvering; manoeuvring; plotting
mirror; looking-glass; barrel head; page added at the beginning of a document mentioning its purpose, date, author, etc.; mirror-shaped mochi
confirmation; verification; validation; review; check; affirmation
favorite; favourite; pet (e.g. teacher's pet); bookmark (in a web browser)
date (with someone); (social) outing (for two); date night; date (day)
to dress oneself up; to deck oneself out
at least; at most; (even) just
be considered; be deemed; be thought to be
unpleasant; disagreeable; displeasing; uncomfortable; unhappy
to stiffen; to become stiff; to harden
to reel; to wind; to turn (pages); to flip through (a book); to count (e.g. the days); to open one-by-one
something; some kind of; for some reason
leading aristocrat; great house; grand seigneur; boyar
the lower classes; the common people
set of tools (implements); kit; outfit
to stare at with a fixed gaze; to glare
pout; displeasure; ill humor; ill humour; sullenness
to respond; to answer; to meet (e.g. demands, expectations); to affect; to take a toll; to strike home
business; thing to be done; something that should be performed; information that should be conveyed
to collect (debts); to dun; to appoint; to promote; to emphasize; to focus on
to hesitate to say; to mumble; to hem and haw; to falter
to go out to meet; to receive; to call for; to summon; to accept (e.g. as a member of a group or family); to take (e.g. a wife)
what little ... one has; tiny amount of; paltry
to wither (of flowers, dreams, etc.); to wilt; to droop; to shrivel; to fade (away); to sag