maintaining the status quo
cooperation; collaboration
space (room, area, outer space)
to look displeased; to frown; to scowl; to look grave; to look serious
to partition; to divide; to direct; to manage; to settle accounts; to assume a crouching posture (at the start of a bout)
dissolution; dissolving; solution (e.g. chemical); melting; liquefying; fusion
characteristic; feature; idiosyncrasy; spot color (in printing)
emission (of light); radiation (of light); luminescence
to cross over; to go across; to extend; to cover; to range
scaffold; scaffolding; foothold; footing; foothold (e.g. in business); foundation
to ask; to inquire; to blame (someone) for; to accuse of; to care about; to regard as important
way of saying (something); way of putting it; wording; phrasing; language; expression
inarticulate; clumsy with words; poor at speaking
predominance; superiority; ascendancy; advantage; supremacy
opposite side; reverse; (on the) other hand
to meet fortuitously (e.g. running into an old friend); to meet by chance; to happen across
to wield; to brandish; to display (one's knowledge); to show off; to abuse (one's power); to manipulate someone
art; technique; means; way; trick; trap
overbearing; coercive; pushy; forcible; high-handed
at a loss for words; stumped for words
to remove; to take off; to drop (e.g. from a team); to remove (from a position); to leave (e.g. one's seat); to go away from
disposal; abandonment; scrapping; annulment; cancellation; abrogation
many times over; often; repeatedly; time after time
slightly; lightly; thinly; faintly; dimly
layer; stratum; class; stratum; sheaf; counter for stories (of a building)
careful selection; careful screening; hand-picking
late at night; at a late hour
wiping out; sweeping away; eradicating; dispelling
to find fault with other people rather than oneself; (for the pot) to call the kettle black
laughing foolishly; cackling
that kind of; that way; that move; that trick; that game
even though; despite; when
out of character; unlike one
to lull (a child) to sleep; to put a person to sleep
sleepy; drowsy; somnolent
unprecedented; never happened before; first time in history