cruel; brutal; savage; barbarous
goblin; apparition; monster; ghost; phantom; spectre
clearly; plainly; distinctly; decisively; flatly; definitely
to seem to be ...; to become like ...; to behave as ...
straight; as the crow flies
to tie; to bind; to bear (fruit); to close (e.g. deal); to confirm; to connect (two distant places); to close tightly
habit (often a bad habit, i.e. vice); tendency; peculiarity; idiosyncrasy; crease; wrinkle
(one's) superior; (one's) boss; the higher-ups
to scold; to chide; to rebuke; to reprimand
attention; notice; care; caution; advice; warning
to collect (e.g. one's thoughts); to get in order
gesture; movement; action; acting; performance
giving and taking; exchange (of letters); arguing back and forth; (conversational) exchange
watchful waiting; careful supervision
to step forward; to volunteer
standing by; awaiting an opportunity; being on alert
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
briskly; smartly; promptly; clearly; lucidly
to vanish gradually (e.g. of a voice); to trail off; to die away; to feel one's soul leaving one's body (from embarrassment, grief, etc.); to feel faint; to feel numb
shadow; silhouette; reflection; image; ominous sign; light (stars, moon)
to hide; to be hidden; to conceal oneself; to disappear
terrific; staggering; tremendous; frightful; ghastly; horrific
performance; execution; skill; dexterity; tact
normalcy; normality; normal
to thrust (something) into (something); to cram; to plunge into; to charge into; to delve into (a matter); to go into depth; to press (someone) about
to (suddenly) get into a specific mood; (lit.) to get switched on
to be solved; to be resolved; to loosen; to come untied; to be removed (of restrictions); to be lifted (e.g. a ban)
meek; gentle; modest; praiseworthy; admirable
timid; weak-kneed; fainthearted; bearish (e.g. market)
disorder; chaos; confusion; mayhem
participation; joining; entry; adherence
entry (on stage); appearance (on screen); entrance; introduction (into a market)
pair; the two; both persons; both things
standing facing each other (e.g. mountains, buildings); standing opposite each other; confrontation; squaring off against (adversaries, armies, forces); standing off against
hurriedly; in a hurry; in haste; (arch.) sudden
to stick; to paste; to stretch; to spread; to form (e.g. ice on a pond); to fill; to swell
by all rights; properly speaking; legally speaking
top; top position; senior management; senior bureaucrat
baton (of command); order; command; direction