golden age; prime; heyday; season (for fruit, vegetables, etc.); best time
major incident; major happening; big scandal
origin; genesis; opening; start; beginning
as is usual with; in common with
to sum up; to summarize; to summarise
failed at every attempt; defeated in every (match, battle, etc.)
freely; generously; liberally; ungrudgingly; unsparingly
zealous; enthusiastic; ardent; fervent; keen; eager
inborn nature; genuine; intrinsic; essential
extreme masochist; very masochistic
(sound effect for) collapsing; losing strength; slumping; losing balance
inconsequential; indifferent; not worth worrying about; whatever; whichever; I don't care
powerfully; vigorously; with all one's strength; lots of; heaps of; plenty
forced laugh; forced smile
other than; except for; aside from; apart from; save for
skill; proficiency; experience; dexterity
time to pay the piper; (lit.) time to pay the land tax (in kind)
nocturnality; nocturnal habits
desire; want; will; wish; urge; craving
to shut out one's opponents; to stop the other side from scoring
to talk or say too much; to go too far; to overstate; to exaggerate
(in the) confusion (of the moment)
up and down, left and right; top and bottom, left and right
looking for something; searching for something; object being sought
(I) found it; (I) found you
to strain (oneself); to bear down; to exert oneself; to put on a bold front; to make a show of strength; to swagger
right on the heels of yesterday, then today ...; soon after something, and yet now ...
treasure hunting; treasure hunt; lucky dip; game involving finding hidden prizes from a sand box, barrel of leaves, etc.
cache; place to hide something
to be on the right track; to be close enough
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
to give a warning; to remind (a person) of
tearfully; in tears; weeping; reluctantly; unwillingly; with a heavy heart