center; centre; middle; -centered; -centred; -focused
assertion; declaration; affirmation
most; highest; maximum; best; wonderful; finest
battle formation; battle array; lineup (of a team, etc.); cast; staff
crossing swords; competing against; contending with; fighting against
mess; sorry state; -ways; -wards; in the act of ...; just as one is ...
remnants; survivors; refugees; pocket (of resistance)
reduction by half; halving
(a) little; somewhat; somehow
to be wet; to be moist; to get dim; to become blurred; to become tear-choked
to be overcome with emotion
with a slap; with a pop; without batting an eyelid; generously; cutesy suffix applied to names
to give oneself to (esp. of a woman to a man); to surrender oneself to
embrace; hug; holding in one's arms
to hug someone close; to hold someone tight; to embrace closely
to perceive; to sense; to take in; to grasp; to feel
to breathe (heavily); to pant; to gasp; to live
weakness; debility; breakdown; prostration
equal; identical; the same; no different (to); just like; equivalent
giving and taking; exchange (of letters); arguing back and forth; (conversational) exchange
suspicious-looking; shady; questionable; dubious; fishy
overserious; deeply sincere; very earnest
one-by-one; separately; every single; each and every; without omission
raising one's hand; show of hands (e.g. for a vote); salute
to swell (out); to expand; to be inflated; to get cross; to get sulky; to pout
nostril; nostrils; naris; nares
temporary truce; ceasefire
common; shared; to be common (to); to be shared (by); -wide
to choose at one's own discretion; to choose when to do something; to estimate (the time for something)
anyhow; anyway; somehow or other; apart from ...; setting ... aside
remarks; comments; way of talking; speaking style; excuse; topic (of conversation)
stand-offish; distant; not frank; watery (alcohol, coffee, etc.)
sorry; apologetic; remorseful
faint; trance; swoon; stupefaction
good humour (humor); good mood
to make merry; to frolic; to be in high spirits
so; accordingly; now; then; thereupon; therefore
treatment; service; handling (of a machine, tool, etc.); operation; treating as; treating like
material witness; suspect
inquiry; enquiry; investigation; (police) interview; questioning (e.g. witness, suspect); hearing