voluntary; optional; free; elective
sea of trees; broad expanse of dense woodland; abundant leafage
to replace; to exchange; to interchange; to substitute
elevation (of spirits); raising (of morale); uplift; upsurge
to be born again; to make a fresh start in life
both in name and reality; both in name and substance
lower region; lower part; region below
dead of night; shades of night; black of night
to make sure of; to ascertain; to confirm; to grasp
territory (of country, feudal domain, etc.); (arch.) counter for suits of clothing, sets of armor, etc.
bosom (buddy); trusted (friend)
to rendezvous; to meet at a prearranged place and time; to arrange to meet
to bump heads; to bump into each other; to collide head-on; to meet by chance; to encounter; to run into
the point of ...; the place where ...; a place called ...; places known as ...; I would say ...; ... is how I'd put it
difference (of opinion); strange; odd; different
minority group (party); minority
friend and foe; enemies and allies; both sides
to take refuge in; to succeed in running away
to stretch; to reach to; to stand on tiptoe
heated wire; infrared rays; heat rays
to burn; to scorch; to singe; to char
dealing appropriately (with a situation); taking proper measures; handling (an issue) carefully; making the best of (a bad bargain)
clap (sound of wooden clappers); chop vigorously; slight movement (e.g. poke, small bird alighting); the end; originally end of a play, marked by clap of clappers; dot (esp. typographical)
to poke (repeatedly, lightly); to nudge; to peck at (one's food); to pick at; to peck at (someone's faults, etc.); to egg on
to provide momentum; to give a boost to; to encourage; to spur; to stimulate
wedge; chock; linchpin; tie; bond
plight; fix; bind; awkward situation; difficult situation; mess
to work out; to think out; to devise; to invent
tightly (packed); densely; closely; crammed
with great vigour; in leaps and bounds; (lit.) with the force of surging waves
advantage; point in favor; point in favour
one's nature; characteristic; inherent; natural