on and after; as from; hereafter; thereafter; since
rivalry of local warlords; a number of powerful (talented, influential) persons standing by themselves in a given field
the north; northward; northern direction; northern part (e.g. of a country); northern district
smallness; small item; short month (i.e. having fewer than 31 days); elementary school; smaller (of two things, places, etc. with the same name); inferior; younger (of two people with the same name)
group; bunch; crowd; group
merger; joining into one; amalgamation; melding; merging; annexation
development; growth; development (of a situation, story, etc.); advancement; playing around; having an active sex life
details; particulars; longitude and latitude; warp and weft; warp and woof
national border; provincial border
beginning; start; outset; at first; at the beginning; initially
each nation; many nations; many countries
skirmish; brush (with the enemy); small fight with a military enemy; squabble; quarrel; brief argument
to repeat; to do something over again
leadership; initiative; spearhead
conclusion; execution (of a contract); entering (into treaty); fastening (as in a joint)
tense relationship; tense relations; strained relations; strained ties; tension
rushing into; breaking into; storming; plunging into (war, etc.); embarking on (a new venture)
long (time); longstanding; for a long time
route (bus, train, air, etc.); line; line (taken by a group, organization, etc.); policy; course
to backfire; to have a harmful result
important position; strategic point; important point; main point; essentials
aggression; invasion; raid
war; battle; match; game; competition
to hold in one's arms; to carry in one's arms; to have (problems, debts, etc.); to take on (a responsibility); to employ; to have (on one's staff)
order of chivalry; chivalric order
to walk about; to walk around; to conduct oneself; to turn up; to brawl (in a play, etc.)
to put into order; to arrange (one's thoughts)
peace conference; peace negotiations
to tie; to bind; to bear (fruit); to close (e.g. deal); to confirm; to connect (two distant places); to close tightly
pursuing liability; finding out who is at fault; trying to pin the blame on someone
just cause; good reason; pretext; duty (to one's country, sovereign, etc.)
imperial court; royal court
majority; more than half; most (of); mostly; largely; mainly
impeachment; denunciation; accusation; censure