flag; banner (administrative division of Inner Mongolia)
beacon; skyrocket; signal fire; starting shot; starting signal
skill; dexterity; master hand
negotiator; bargainer; point man
finish; completion; the end
no; nay; well; er; you're welcome; not at all
war; battle; campaign; (arch.) troops; (arch.) forces
close (e.g. of business); leaving (e.g. school); being outdone; compare unfavourably (with); closing price (stockmarket); sink mark (casting, moulding)
adapting oneself to the requirements of the moment; playing by ear; ad hoc approach
to smile (at); to grin (at)
advance arrangements; preparatory meeting; overlap (of a coat, etc.); (arch.) making something match exactly
to take into one's possession; to receive; to take into one's care (e.g. person, pet); to take custody of; to leave; to go away
performance; take; game; season; penetrative vaginal sex (with a prostitute); unsimulated sex (in an adult movie)
division (distribution) of roles; role-sharing
sale price; selling price; sales value
selling off; disposal by sale; sale
the eve (of a festival) (e.g. Christmas Eve)
faint; dim; weak; poor; wretched; meagre
optimism; taking an optimistic view
main constituent; core; nucleus; subject (philosophical); protagonist
day in question; appointed day; that very day; the day (of issue, publication, etc.)
midsummer feast; summer solstice celebration; St John's day
to create (an atmosphere, feeling, etc.); to produce; to engender
manuring; fertilization; fertilisation
to bear fruit; to take effect
division; section; compartment; block; plot; lot
annihilation; total destruction; complete destruction; crushing defeat
extinction; annihilation; destruction
after all; in the end; anyway; (cannot) possibly; (not) at all; (not) by any means
indiscriminately; blindly; at random; indiscriminate; random; excessive
deployment; disposition; posting; stationing
matter of concern and interest
best one could ask for; just what one wants; welcome (news); heaven-sent
prior investment; upfront investment
price; cost; value; worth; value