serious; severe; grave; acute
crisis; critical situation; emergency; pinch
quick; swift; nimble; quick (understanding, judgement, etc.); alert; prompt
to compromise; to meet halfway; to step up to; to walk up to; to approach
with a start; with a jump
to (make something) quiver; to shake; to tremble; to vibrate
to stare (at); to gaze (at); to look hard (at); to watch intently; to fix one's eyes (on)
miserable; pitiable; shameful; deplorable; pathetic
courage; bravery; valour; valor; nerve; boldness
to feel down; to feel sad; to be in a slump (business, economy, etc.); to be in an unfavourable condition; to fall into (e.g. a hole)
continuously; the whole time; much (more); (by) far; far (away); long (ago, before, after)
and yet; despite this; but even so; but even then; however; nevertheless
when; at what time; how soon; normal times; ordinary days
eager; earnest; ardent; OFF (on switch)
(young) girl; maiden; young lady
hopeless; good-for-nothing; incorrigible; foolish; preposterous; absurd
to become known; to come to light; to be known; to be understood; to clearly not amount to much; to be insignificant
foolhardiness; recklessness; savage valour; savage valor; brute courage
reckless; thoughtless; rash; ill-advised; impulsive; mad (e.g. scheme)
to degenerate; to lapse into
(looking) blankly; vacantly; dazedly; (staring) in puzzlement; with a look of amazement
to blink (one's eyes) repeatedly
just like; exactly like; as if; (do) just like ...; (be) virtually like ...; as if it were ...
to shake; to waver; to tremble
this world; this life; world of the living
to chip; to be chipped; to be missing (from a set, team, etc.); to be absent; to be lacking (in); to be short (of)
when it comes to ...; if one were to speak of ...; by ... you mean ...; when you say ... you mean that ...; whenever ...; if it's ... then (without fail)
veteran (e.g. soldier); battle-hardened; seasoned; (of) long military service
great commander; famous commander
to bend backwards; to bend oneself back; to be taken aback
to say in other words; to put another way; to express in different words; to reword; to rephrase
which; where; all; both; anyway; anyhow
to sow seeds; to sow the seeds of ... (e.g. conflict)
to bloom; to blossom; to become lively (esp. of conversation); to become animated; to experience a golden age
fruit; nut; berry; fruits; profit
to raise; to rear; to train; to teach; to promote the growth of; to nurture
that's the way it is; such is life
to attack; to assault; to challenge; to take on; to be bold; to be audacious
error; mistake; slip; bug
no matter how you look at it; no matter how you slice it; clearly; obviously; surely; without a doubt
to be possible; to be conceivable; to be likely; to be probable
accumulation; accumulate; store
to tell (a story); to give an account of (an event, experience, etc.); to relate; to tell of; to show; to indicate