preface; introduction; preamble
ship's captain; skipper; length of a ship; boatman
declaration; statement; proclamation
to be hard pressed; to be at a loss; to become poor; to be reduced to poverty
resistance; opposition; reluctance; repulsion; resistance; drag
alcohol; (alcohol-based) hand sanitizer
store interior; inside of a shop
at hand; on hand; way of moving one's arms; skill; money at hand; pocket money
and; thereupon; because of that
superman; superwoman; Ubermensch (e.g. Nietzsche's ideal man of the future); overman
tuck (e.g. in a dress); rise (e.g. in price)
relative evaluation; comparative assessment
when it comes to; concerning (an area of expertise)
no change; no difference; no unusual events; no accidents; no incidents
unless (you do something)
contract; compact; agreement
secret; private; surreptitious
breakdown of negotiations
in the end; on top of that
to guide; to lead; to show the way; to derive; to deduce
to use; to make use of; to utilize; to utilise
nature; disposition; temperament; qualities; attributes; talents
to anticipate; to foresee
mechanism; machinery; trick; dodge; mechanical doll; string puppet
to telephone; to make a phone call
war situation; progress of a battle
steering; piloting; flying; management; handling; control
crossing swords; competing against; contending with; fighting against
stealthily; secretly; in secret
to take (someone) away; to carry off; to abduct; to kidnap
to be useful; to be helpful; to serve the purpose
keep ...-ing; have been ...-ing; leaving (something) on; leaving (something) still in use
fate; destiny (esp. as a mysterious force that binds two people together); relationship (e.g. between two people); bond; family ties; affinity; opportunity
imitation; copy; make-believe; doing something in a way that only superficially resembles the real thing
to resolve; to ready (oneself); to make up one's mind
drifting; drift; being adrift
block (of wood); chip; splinter