branches and leaves; foliage; unimportant details; nonessentials; side issue
through; throughout; through (the good offices of); by way of
byway; bypath; byroad; loophole; way out (of trouble); excuse
to shake one's head (in disagreement); to disagree; to refuse; to say no; to turn down (a request)
to refuse; to reject; to inform; to give notice; to ask leave; to excuse oneself (from)
in a bad temper; cranky; crabby
leaving something where it is; abandoning something
erratic; offbeat; wild; unconventional; extraordinary; weird
to start to move; to get going; to come alive
(not) at all; (not) by any means; (cannot) possibly; absolutely
and yet; despite this; but even so; but even then; however; nevertheless
speaking by proxy; speaking for (someone else); payment by proxy; compensation by proxy; acting for (someone else); carrying out (on someone's behalf)
curiosity; inquisitiveness
to run about frantically trying to escape; to run this way and that to make one's escape
crowd; community; group; herd; gathering; assembly
to curry favour (with); to play up (to); to cozy up (to); to butter up
to crush; to squash; to flatten; to quash (a plan, opposition, etc.); to crush; to suppress
at this stage; at this point; (only) now
attack under the cover of darkness; surprise attack; sneak attack
laughing at an inappropriate time; not being able to hold back one's laughter; scornful laughter; snicker; snigger
to eat (fodder, grass, etc.); to receive (a salary); to receive a stipend from one's lord
to slurp; to sip (loudly); to sniffle; to sniff
origin; beginning; genesis; primeval; primordial; primitive
exorcism; putting a deadly curse on; cursing to death
great achievement; great feat; great work; great undertaking
(starting) from nothing; from scratch
second coming; second advent
setting the table; laying the table; setting up; getting one's ducks in a row; running interference
specific medicine; wonder drug; silver bullet
believer; adherent; devotee; fanboy; fanatic; superfan
reigning (over a country); dominating; controlling; dictating
wide area; wide view (of a digitally displayed map); zoomed-out view
process; course; mechanism
adaptation; accommodation; conformity
conquest (of a difficulty, illness, crisis, etc.); overcoming; surmounting; bringing under control
(good) result; outcome; fruits (of one's labors); product; accomplishment
to cover; to hide; to conceal; to wrap; to disguise
spread; extension; influence; aftereffect; ripple
whole area; whole region; stretch (of land); tract; belt
subversion (of the state)
magnificent; grand; majestic; splendid
to nip (something) in the bud
outrageous; preposterous; most improper; most unreasonable; inexcusable; unpardonable
criticizing; lambasting; pointing out faults; calling for a retake; ordering (someone) to redo something