dignity; majesty; solemnity; gravity
bitter smile; wry smile; forced smile; strained laugh
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
mother's side of family; maternal (grandfather, uncle, etc.)
(art of) fencing; swordsmanship
dramatic (improvement); remarkable (difference); marked; (far) better; exceptional
right of succession; right to the throne
to look down on; to condescend
is that so? (generally rhetorical)
practice; practising; training; study
practice field; training ground; driving range; practice hall; rehearsal space
audience; spectator; spectators
laughingstock; butt of ridicule
boy; juvenile; young boy; youth; lad
depression; melancholy; dejection; gloom; despondency
to jump up; to spring up; to move around; to bounce up and down; to pound (of one's heart, e.g. with excitement); to throb
to compare; to make a comparison; to compete; to vie
to feel that something is true or actually happening; to hit one (realization, thought); to sink in
gently; mildly; leniently; don't be too hard on me (us, them); go easy on me
after that; afterwards; thereafter
goes without saying; needless to say; obvious
labyrinth; maze; mystery; dungeon
trace; vestige; mark; sign; evidence
conviction; belief; confidence
wonderful; astounding; marvellous
thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...
to be sufficient; to be enough; to be worth doing; to be worthy of; to do (the job); to serve
as (much) as possible; as (much) as one can; wherever practicable; if possible
being familiar with; having a thorough knowledge of; being well-informed about
to catch up (with); to draw level; to pull even; to be compensated; to make up for one's losses
to cross over; to cross; to pass through; to exceed; to surpass; to be more (than)
during; for the duration of
confluence (of rivers); merge (of traffic); conflux; union (e.g. of forces); linking up; merging
going ahead; going first; preceding; coming before; scoring first; getting off to a lead
classified document; confidential document
circumstances; conditions; situation; reasons; state of affairs
to hear; to listen (e.g. to music); to ask; to enquire; to hear about; to hear of; to follow (advice, order, etc.)