to shorten the distance (between); to close the gap (e.g. on the leader); to get closer (e.g. to someone); to close in (on)
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
order; command; directions; instructions
front; frontage; facade; main
to go round and cut in; to take a roundabout path
straight to the point; point-blank; frank; direct
to go through; to pierce; to run through (e.g. a river through a city); to pass through; to stick to (opinion, principles, etc.); to carry out
to walk about; to walk around; to conduct oneself; to turn up; to brawl (in a play, etc.)
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
gaining time; stalling for time; time-buying
to be disappointed; to be dejected; to be downhearted; to feel exhausted; to feel drained
first meeting; first interview with
off the mark; off base; misdirected; irrelevant
to be curious; to wonder; to marvel
about; roughly; generally; on the whole; completely; quite
siege; encirclement; envelopment; surrounding; besiegement
arranged; taken care of; settled; completed; finished
to finger; to touch; to play with; to grope; to feel around (in one's pocket, bag, etc.)
to tease; to irritate; to tantalize; to keep (someone) in suspense
to see; to look; to examine; to look over; to look after; to attend to; to experience
time traveler; time traveller
natural; understandable; reasonable; no wonder
compensation; equivalent value; consideration
hour; o'clock; (specified) time; when ...; during ...
even; even if; even though; because of; on the grounds that
to excel at; to be proficient at; to grow old; to ripen; to rise high (e.g. the sun)
still more; to say nothing of; not to mention; still less
(cannot) possibly; (not) by any means; (not) at all; utterly; absolutely
(on) one's own; (by) oneself
theory; reason; logic; (unreasonable) argument; strained logic; excuse
actually; really; truly; in practice; practically
interference; intervention; meddling