to put oneself on guard; to stand ready; to square off
the more I think about it; the more one thinks about it
disgust; hate; repugnance; loathing
awkward; uncomfortable; embarrassing
to surpass; to outstrip; to excel
gradually; steadily; slowly; little by little; step by step; by degrees
to grow up; to become an adult; to become big; to grow in size
uncertain; vague; ambiguous
to knit one's brows (in discomfort, unease, disapproval, etc.); to raise one's eyebrows; to frown; to scowl
(a) step ahead; (a) jump ahead
to go out (e.g. on an excursion or outing); to leave; to depart; to be about to leave; to be just going out
discovery (of a plot, misdeed, etc.); detection; exposure; disclosure
impostor; imposter; pretender; liar
escape; flight; breakout; fleeing; desertion
to order; to command; to appoint
to crawl out; to creep out; to begin to crawl
to interrupt; to obstruct (a view, someone's way, etc.); to block (light, wind, etc.); to intercept; to cut off
to disclose; to divulge; to expose; to open (a grave); to dig out
to shift; to slide (e.g. something away from something else); to move (e.g. something out of the way); to put off; to delay; to postpone
every last one; one and all; from A to Z; as soon as; right after; no sooner (than)
day after tomorrow; wrong (e.g. direction)
shadow; silhouette; reflection; image; ominous sign; light (stars, moon)
to become frightened; to be frightened (of); to be scared (of)
to intimidate; to frighten; to scare; to threaten (e.g. peace); to jeopardize; to endanger
to have meaning; to be meaningful
to cut into (a conversation); to interject
to take home; to carry home; to bring back home; to take out (e.g. food)
back street; back alley; off-street
to entice; to tempt; to invite someone to join in
(any) particular; special; particularly noteworthy; worth mentioning
occupation (i.e. field of regular employment); steady job; regular work
party (of people); set (of people); clan; family; fellow
to contract; to undertake; to take over; to take responsibility for
force; vigor; influence; authority; impetus; momentum
present stage; current phase; current rank; present grade
to ascertain; to make sure of; to determine; to probe; to get to the bottom (of something)
many people; a large number of people
proxy; agent; substitute; deputy; alternate; representative
to stick through; to force through; to spread throughout; to thoroughly diffuse; to make a path between two points; to proceed in a logical manner; to let pass
delivery; transfer; hand-over
advance payment; money paid in advance
after this; from now on; hereafter; thereafter; since (then); after
to declare; to assert; to state definitively; to finish saying; to say it all; to finish one's sentence
caution; admonition; prohibition; ban; punishment; (arch.) caution
to threaten; to menace; to frighten (into doing)
to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse