faint hopes; dim prospects; little hope; unlikely (to be successful)
actually; in fact; as a matter of fact
chief; main; principal; important
together (of two people); both (of you, them, etc.)
reliance; trust; faith; confidence
assistance; backing; reinforcements
absurd; foolish; stupid; silly; nonsense; ludicrous
to assume the air of ...; to behave like ...; to put on airs; to be self-important
morning; breakfast; (arch.) next morning
having enough of (food, drink, etc.); having one's fill; fully enjoying
precise; accurate; appropriate; exactly the right
puncture; flat tyre (tire); blowout; bursting; overflowing; being jammed (e.g. phone lines)
save; checking; curbing; suppressing
malice; malicious intent; intent to kill
unexpectedly; surprisingly; unexpected; unanticipated; unforeseen
to outwit; to outmanoeuvre; to steal a march on; to get the jump on; to anticipate; to forestall
wounded person; injured person
to disappear (of people or animals); to go (away); to leave; to no longer exist
container; receptacle; utensil; implement; calibre; talent
to receive; to take; to get somebody to do something; to have in one's pocket (a fight, match); to contract (a disease); to catch
reality; real state of affairs; true state of affairs; true form of all things as they are; ultimate reality
treachery; betrayal; perfidy
details (of an incident, event, etc.); whole story; course of events; facts; circumstances; particulars
blood relationship; consanguinity; blood relative
safety; security; safely; without incident; good health; inaction
pure; genuine; trueborn; natural-born
birth; lineage; identity; background; provenance; origin
cover (e.g. for illegal activity); front; Dendropanax trifidus (species of flowering plant); straw raincoat that makes one invisible
to leak out (a secret); to be exposed (a lie, improper behaviour, etc.); to be found out; to get away (of fish)
elder brother; one's senior; older man; man older than oneself
judging from; on the basis of; from the point of view of
monitoring; watching; observation; surveillance; guarding; supervision
appeal; call for something; request; axiom
operation; management; handling; manipulating (to one's benefit); manipulation; influencing
the point of ...; the place where ...; a place called ...; places known as ...; I would say ...; ... is how I'd put it
one or two; a few; small number
way (of doing); manner; method; means
to attract; to draw near; to charm; to attract; to have a convulsion
even a little; any at all; if only a little; no matter how little
regret; repentance; remorse
to laugh away; to laugh off
hanky-panky; juggling; cheating; deception; smoke and mirrors