keep ...-ing; have been ...-ing; leaving (something) on; leaving (something) still in use
to cry and shout; to scream
showing no concern at all; being not at all bothered; devil-may-care attitude
conversely; on the contrary
gradually; by degrees; little by little; steps; stairs; staircase
to wither (of a plant); to be blasted; to die; to mature (of one's personality, abilities, etc.)
slowly; tardily; complaining; grumbling; unsettled (e.g. weather); loose
next; secondly; subsequently
uncertain; doubtful; unreliable; unsteady; unclear; vague
on the contrary; rather; all the more; instead
matter of life or death; life-and-death problem
optional; voluntary; arbitrary; arbitrary
technical (e.g. discussion); exclusive; professional
specialization; specialisation
privilege; special favor; special favour; benefit; prerogative; perk
indispensable; essential; requisite; required; compulsory; necessary
learning; acquisition (of a skill, knowledge, etc.)
war potential; military strength; fighting power; ability (to compete); capabilities; valuable asset
addition; annexation; appendage
that's the way it is; such is life
to cause; to induce; to bring about; to pull upright; to help up (e.g. a fallen person)
magic sword; cursed sword
handful; small amount; small number
skill; dexterity; master hand
immediately; right away; on the spot
throwaway; disposable; single-use
disadvantage; drawback; demerit; bad point; minus
stability; steadiness; equilibrium
performance (e.g. music, dance, pantomime, etc.)
representative; exemplary; model
sorcery; black magic; netherworld; world outside the six realms where evil spirits roam
if anything; if pushed I'd say; if I had to say
one's favourite party trick (favorite); one's specialty; No. 18; eighteenth; repertoire of 18 kabuki plays
technique; art; skill; move
decisively; decidedly; boldly; precisely; exactly
eternity; perpetuity; permanence; immortality
to be surprising; to be shocking; to be jaw-dropping
to break; to destroy; to wreck; to ruin; to break (a bill, etc.)
cast-off skin (snake, insect, etc.); husk; empty shell; exuvia; exuviae
slip; omission; upshot; denouement; punch line (of a joke)