(the) mainstream; main course (of a river); main stream
point spread; point difference
under repair; out of service
competition; contest; rivalry; competition (between organisms or species)
mumbling; chewing one's words; chewing (food); squirming; wriggling
directions; instructions; orders; command
reason; cause; history; origin
a little embarrassing; slightly embarrassed; somewhat ashamed; extremely embarrassing; extremely embarrassed
heathen; heretic; pagan; nonconformist; freethinker; iconoclast
beyond oneself; beyond one's ability; exceeding one's power
self-abasement; humility; self-depreciation
incomprehensible; nonsensical; puzzling; mysterious; meaningless
child prodigy; infant genius; wonder child
genius; prodigy; natural gift
to fall in love; to be in love; to be charmed with; to lose one's heart to
to be blessed with; to be rich in; to abound in
firm; unshakeable; resolute
barely keeping a business going (analogy that a bicycle falls over when its wheels cease rotating)
just like; (virtually) no different from; (almost) the same as; as good as (e.g. dead, settled)
to be flustered; to lose one's presence of mind
to live; to make a living; to get on with
to telephone; to make a phone call
telephone call; speaking over the telephone; (Internet) voice call; counter for telephone calls of a set duration
silent profile (in cell phones); silent mode; vibrate mode
(preliminary) skirmish; prelude; preliminary encounter; warm-up match (e.g. before a final)
amount of experience; experience level; experience point; exp; XP
to repaint; to paint again; to break (a record); to rewrite; to remake
to beat someone to the punch; to get the drop on (someone); to forestall
to gain experience; to accumulate experiences
food; provisions; nourishment (mental, spiritual, etc.); sustenance (e.g. of one's life); source of encouragement
to meet (the enemy) and attack; to engage (the approaching enemy); to confront; to intercept
veil of darkness; curtain of night
to rain incessantly; to downpour
to eat; to drink; to receive (e.g. a blow); to be on the receiving end (of something undesirable); to undergo (trouble)
unsteadily (e.g. on one's feet); shakily; wavering (in one's mind); unsteadily; aimlessly; unconsciously
to thrust before; to thrust at