to choose one's words (with care); to be careful with one's words
only recently; just of late
group; faction; (political) faction; wing; school (of thought, painting, etc.); sect
lively; active; vigorous; animated; brisk
plot; scheme; trick; design; intrigue; artifice
detection (of a plot, fraud, etc.); discovery; coming to light; being uncovered
to roll up; to enfold; to swallow up; to involve; to drag into
serious; important; significant; grave; weighty
large quantity; massive (quantity); mass (e.g. mass production, mass transit, mass destruction)
diviner; fortune teller; soothsayer
flight; desertion; escape
to steal; to plagiarize; to steal (a technique, idea, etc.); to do stealthily; to do during scant time; to steal a base
continent; continental Asia (esp. mainland China); continental Europe
in form; ceremonial; for form's sake; pro forma
to furnish with; to equip with; to prepare for; to make preparations for; to possess (all that is needed); to be endowed with
abuse; misuse; perversion
each country; every country; various countries; all countries
to mince; to cut fine; to carve; to engrave; to tick away (time); to beat out (e.g. rhythm); to etch (into one's mind)
to take lessons in; to be taught; to learn (from a teacher); to study (under a teacher); to get training in
war; fighting; fierce competition
present age; present day; contemporary; modern era; modern times; contemporary era
common sense; good sense; common knowledge; general knowledge; common practice; accepted practice
use; application; employment; utilization; utilisation
abandonment; renouncement; renunciation; resignation; abdication; surrender
among countries; between countries
armed might; military power; the sword; force
arrangement; pact; agreement
(common) use (of a language, currency, etc.); current use; to be accepted (e.g. of a way of thinking); to work (of an excuse, trick, etc.); going in and out; entrance and exit
in any case; at any rate; anyhow; because; since; for
to buy; to purchase; to value (highly); to think highly of; to incur (someone's anger, displeasure, etc.); to elicit (e.g. sneers)
gaining total control (of people or counties); suppression; oppression; control; mastery; ascendancy
to be foolish; to be stupid; to be ridiculous; to be absurd
engraving a seal; engraved seal; engraving; inscribing; brand (i.e. a mark of disgrace); stamp
gag order; gag rule; gag law
to spread out (e.g. a futon); to lay out; to lay down (e.g. a cushion); to impose widely (e.g. martial law); to promulgate; to pin down; to hold down
to catch (someone's words); to make out; to follow; to ask about (a situation, circumstances, etc.); to inquire
being startled; getting a shock
to sound; to ring; to resound; to echo; to roar; to rumble
unmistakable; evident; obvious; certain; beyond doubt
old enemy; longtime enemy; arch-enemy; traditional rival; longstanding foe