as if ...; as if to say ...; as though ...
masterpiece; best work; amusing blunder; funny mistake; boner
to get excited; to make one's heart leap; to make one's heart pound
ups and downs; bobbing up and down; rising and falling; ebbing and flowing
goal; target; aim; mark; sign; landmark
shade; shadow; behind (something); other side; background; behind the scenes
untalkative; quiet; taciturn; reticent; uncommunicative
(not) well; (not) properly; (not) enough; (not) sufficiently; (not) satisfactorily; (not) decently
egg dishes; food prepared with eggs
to badger; to pester; to beg
cooking; cookery; cuisine; dealing with something; handling; administration
memories; recollections; reminiscence
at this juncture; after all this time; at this stage; now
justice; right; righteousness; correct meaning; correct explanation
to swear; to vow; to take an oath; to pledge
to make good; to improve; to do often; to be kind to; to treat well
imperial government; imperialism; monarchical rule
generation; lifetime; age
to send (someone) back; to send (someone) home
to defend against; to protect against; to prevent; to avert; to avoid
system; institution; organization; organisation
national politics; political situation; statecraft; body politic
restoration; return to health
keeping alive longer; prolonging life; life extension; life-support
conversion; diversion; changeover; commutation; switchover
to rebuild; to reconstruct
restoration; repair; mending
to come to a dead end; to come to a standstill; to reach a deadlock; to reach an impasse; to reach a stalemate
sales promotion; hard selling
confusion; mixing; merger
to put a stop to; to put a hold on; to put the brakes on; to call a halt to; to block; to shelve
joint ownership; co-ownership; sharing (e.g. a viewpoint); sharing (files, devices on a network, posts on social media, etc.)
clear layer of fluid (at the top of a mixture); supernatant liquid; supernate
opposite; opposition; versus; vs.; to (e.g. "winning a game five to three"); equal footing
to smoke; to smoulder; to be sooty; to be smoke-stained; to smoulder (e.g. a dispute); to smolder