know-how; expertise; the ropes; the knack
to rank with; to rank among
expansion; extension; enlargement; escape; ESC
like water; like it grows on trees
consumption; expenditure; spending
from the beginning; from the first; of course; not to mention ...; not only ... but also ...
conquest (of a difficulty, illness, crisis, etc.); overcoming; surmounting; bringing under control
to round up; to gather; to muster; to mobilize; to mobilise
population (e.g. of animals)
headhunting (collecting the heads of dead enemies as trophies)
dangerous; risky; awful; terrible; terrific; amazing
north and south; north to south; South Korea and North Korea
mountain chain; mountains
high ground; plateau; heights; highlands
large river; epic (of a novel, drama, etc.); long-form; large-scale
stronghold; fortress; strategic position; key position
opposition; rivalry; competition; antagonism
stationing (e.g. of troops); garrison
disadvantage; handicap; unfavorable position
death and injury; being killed or injured
exceedingly; extremely; decisively
death toll; number of deaths; body count
casualties; the killed and wounded
leading aristocrat; great house; grand seigneur; boyar
the lower classes; the masses; the common people; underclass; riffraff
increase and decrease; fluctuation
easy; trifling; harmless; nothing of the sort; not at all
to doubt; to think (something is) doubtful; to wonder; to be suspicious
certain; some kind of; some sort of; of sorts
to be overawed; to be overwhelmed; to be overcome; to be intimidated; to be daunted
continuation; rest (of the story, work, etc.); flow (e.g. of a piece of writing); pacing (of a story); succession (of); sequence
to plunder; to grab; to snatch
advance (into a new market, industry, etc.); expansion (into); launch (into); advance (to the next round of a competition)
whole nation; whole land; whole country
war of aggression; war of conquest
remote control; remote operation
monopoly; monopolization; exclusivity; hogging; keeping to oneself
middle class; bourgeoisie
opinion; view; comment; scolding; reprimand; rebuke
leaving everything up to someone else
right on the heels of yesterday; only yesterday