fixed date; appointed date; set date; deadline; due date
impudent; shameless; brazen; forward; audacious; cheeky
bold; shameless; cheeky; brash; impudent
how could I (you, etc.) ...?; how dare you (they, etc.) ...; how can you have the nerve to ...?
absent-mindedly; absently; idly; in a subdued voice; in undertones; in a whisper
approval; agreement; support; favour; favor
to tease; to irritate; to tantalize; to keep (someone) in suspense
to taste; to try (food or drink)
the entire strength; all hands; all the members
rushing into; breaking into; storming; plunging into (war, etc.); embarking on (a new venture)
beginning of hostilities; beginning of competition; first match (in a series)
to fall behind; to lag behind; to be outdistanced; to be beaten
biggest; greatest; largest; maximum
to hesitate; to think twice; to flinch; to get cold feet
successively; one after another; sequentially; one by one
the height of folly; sheer stupidity
duty; responsibility (incl. supervision of staff); liability; onus
refusal; rejection; denial; veto
equality; equal; same rights; same rank; equivalence
(exercising) the right to command
while it may be true that; just because; nevertheless; not necessarily
proper; respectable; decent; honest
whole army; whole team; all armies; all teams
indication; denotation; designation; instructions; directions
simply; merely; only; solely
advantageous; favourable; better; profitable; lucrative; gainful
to take lessons in; to be taught; to learn (from a teacher); to study (under a teacher); to get training in
artifice; wiles; trickery; art of a courtesan (esp. for seducing or deceiving customers); coquetry
to attract someone's attention; to arouse someone's interest; to sound someone out; to try to find out someone's true feelings; to (discreetly) probe someone's thoughts
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
hypothesis; supposition; assumption; expectation; anticipation
putting an idea into someone's head; suggestion; hint
veteran; battle-worn; schooled by adversity in many battles; hard-bitten; rich in experience; very experienced
with a whiff; with a puff; suddenly; abruptly; without warning
to come loose; to come untied; to come undone; to loosen up (e.g. tension)
to give one's life; to lay down one's life
readiness; (mental) preparedness; resolution; determination; resignation (to one's fate)
to force someone to clamp with their teeth; to force into someone's mouth (e.g. a gag); to wedge into a space; to inflict (a blow); to deal (a hit); to pull (a joke)
to pierce through; to break through
to attack; to go for; to come at; to pounce on; to jump on; to swoop down on
astonished; shocked; amazed; astounded; aghast
no sooner than; as soon as; immediately after; at the thought of; when I think about