defense; defence; guard; policing; security
to parry; to sidestep; to dodge
to knock down; to utterly defeat
besides; furthermore; on top of that; and yet; nevertheless; even so
to become blunt; to grow dull; to become less capable; to weaken; to falter
(attacking and) sinking (a ship); sending (a ship) to the bottom; crushing defeat; utter failure; complete exhaustion; collapsing (onto a bed, desk, etc.)
defeating; crushing; smashing; destroying
to walk; to go on foot; to tread (a figurative path); to follow; to advance towards (e.g. a solution); to set out (e.g. on the path to destruction, ruin, etc.)
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
leisurely; slow; deliberate; easygoing
probability; likelihood; chances
breaking the front line; frontal breakthrough
refusing to budge; adamant; intransigent; unyielding
arguing back and forth; bandying words; verbal tug-of-war
tolerance; open-mindedness; forbearance; generosity; magnanimity
faint; fainting; losing consciousness
to blunder; to fail; to make a mistake
to creep up to; to approach stealthily; to steal up; to draw near unnoticed
to act violently; to rage; to struggle; to be riotous
calculation; computation; reckoning; consideration; calculation; estimation
troublesome; difficult (e.g. customer, guest, child); laborious (e.g. task, dinner)
more and more; all the more; at last; finally; (at the) last moment; worst possible time
latter period; second half; late stage; third trimester; second semester
(preparatory) meeting; briefing session; overlap (of a coat, etc.); (arch.) making something match exactly
route; path; channel (e.g. sales, distribution)
to cock one's head in puzzlement; to tilt one's head in contemplation; to wrack one's brain; to think hard
tightly; tautly; (springing, straightening) up; suddenly; intuitively; instinctively
spine; line of the backbone; seam down the back (of clothing)
to yield; to give way to; to make way for
to talk oneself hoarse; to shout oneself hoarse
habit; behavior; behaviour; trait
to make snide remarks; to put into bad mood
fearfully; timidly; cautiously; nervously
evident; plain; distinct; clear
standard equipment; standard feature
to become weak; to decline; to wear; to abate; to decay; to wither
awareness that one is not good at something; feelings of inferiority
to be too much for one; to find unmanageable; to be beyond one's control; to not know what to do with
practice; training; drill; (an) exercise; workout
to be gouged; to be hollowed; to become hollow
each (every) time; whenever
to repair; to mend; to change; to alter; to put back; to put away; to cure
disastrous scene; terrible spectacle