check; keeping in check; containment (of enemy forces); diversionary action; pickoff throw; holding a runner on base
influence; power; might; strength; potency; force
to chip off; to scrape off; to prune
beyond expectations; beyond what one expected; not foreseen; exceeding assumptions
to instigate; to tempt; to entice; to incite
to hint at; to intimate; to suggest; to allude to; to imply
route; path; channel (e.g. sales, distribution)
now (while the time is ripe); while one still can
to chip (off); to shave (off); to slice (off); to dampen (e.g. enthusiasm); to discourage; to weaken
not factored in; not included in calculations; unaccounted for; unplanned for
modus operandi; criminal technique; trick
to bewitch; to confuse; to enchant; to delude
to speak; to say; to vocalize
testimony; (verbal) evidence
truth; reality; truly; really; absolute truth
to shut in; to confine; to contain
to fit into (a box, frame, category, etc.); to be contained within; to settle down (into); to be installed (in one's rightful place); to settle into (one's position); to take up (a post)
biggest; greatest; largest; maximum
to trap (into a difficult situation); to put (in a fix); to capture (a castle, fortress, etc.); to take; to drop (something) into
destination; whereabouts; future; prospects
to ask a question; to begin to ask a question
to stand watch; to stand guard; to look out; to open (one's eyes) wide
clue; lead; key; handhold; hold
link (e.g. in a chain of events); part (of a plan, campaign, activities, etc.); monocyclic
to thrust (something) into (something); to cram; to plunge into; to charge into; to delve into (a matter); to go into depth; to press (someone) about
to pull (the puppet) strings; to direct things from behind the scenes; to stretch out (and keep going); to linger on
to expose to danger; to imperil; to jeopardize
good-for-nothing; spineless; gutless; spiritless; feckless; pluckless
background (of a case, incident, etc.)
to eat; to live on (e.g. a salary); to live off; to subsist on
year; age; years; past one's prime; old age
way of living; manner of living; lifestyle
local specialty or souvenir bought as a gift while travelling; present brought by a visitor; something unpleasant that one is given (e.g. an illness while on vacation); unwelcome gift
cheerfully; buoyantly; happily; in high spirits
to be packed (with); to be full (space, schedule, etc.); to be blocked (road, pipe, nose, etc.); to be clogged; to shorten (width, interval, etc.); to shrink (shirt, word form, etc.); to be at a loss
together; at the same time; same; identical
to extend; to stretch out; to attend; to participate in; to enrol; to enroll
in a crowd; in droves; crawling (of insects); swarming; dragging (e.g. along the ground); trailing
load; baggage; cargo; burden; responsibility