to disdain; to look down on; to make light of; to hold in contempt; to scorn; to despise
quite capable of ...; could happen; not unlikely to
worst; horrible; horrid; in the worst case; if worst comes to worst
diplomacy; selling (e.g. door-to-door); canvassing
friction; discord; strife
companion; follower; attendant; retinue
spy; agent provocateur; covert operative; maker; builder; constructor
imitation; copy; make-believe; doing something in a way that only superficially resembles the real thing
gradually (progress into a state); in sequence; in order; in turn
to be due to; to be caused by; to depend on; to turn on; to be based on; to come from
applying (e.g. a technology); adoption
what is it (that); the meaning of something; what something is about
immediate; prompt; quick; rapid; urgent; pressing
investigation; examination; inquiry; enquiry; survey
to set out; to set sail; to embark on (a new venture); to set out (to achieve something); to begin to ride; to lean forward
to seize; to catch; to obtain; to acquire; to understand; to grasp
to take into one's possession; to receive; to take into one's care (e.g. person, pet); to take custody of; to leave; to go away
house where one was born; one's parents' house
foreign enemy; outside invader
shadow; silhouette; reflection; image; ominous sign; light (stars, moon)
won't; hasn't; isn't; won't you
to search about for; to hunt around for; to look high and low for; to look everywhere for
clue; lead; key; handhold; hold
foster father; adoptive father
eccentricity; eccentric behaviour
quite; utterly; really; completely
to not know what to do with; to be at a loss with; to have difficulty with; to be put out
to lend an ear to; to listen to
safe; secure; certainly; surely; no thanks; I'm good
all; entire; whole; altogether
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
shuddering; shivering; trembling; being horrified; being disgusted
more and more; all the more; at last; finally; (at the) last moment; worst possible time
with; by; because of; on account of; on (a day, date); at (a time); adds emphasis to preceding word
to bear; to carry on one's back; to take responsibility for; to accept a duty; to receive (wound); to incur (damage)
wholesale delegation; hundred-percent subcontracting; leaving all the decision-making to somebody else
to take on; to undertake; to take over; to inherit; to guarantee; to vouch for
somehow or other; for some reason or another; without knowing why
to guess; to conjecture; to surmise
in this way; thus; such; uh...