capture (of enemy territory); taking (by storm); defeating (an opponent); attacking (a problem) strategically
stagnation; tie-up; standstill; congestion; delay; accumulation
background; scenery; background (of an incident, situation, etc.); circumstances; backing; support (from behind the scenes)
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
to measure; to weigh; to survey; to conjecture; to infer; to surmise
surely; certainly; no doubt; indeed
divide into four pieces; one fourth
to chip (off); to shave (off); to slice (off); to dampen (e.g. enthusiasm); to discourage; to weaken
strange; unfamiliar; mysterious; suspicious; (lit.) of an unknown nature
to carry (something) under cover; to carry concealed
damn; damn it; feces; excrement; damn; damned; very
instead of; in place of; as a substitute for; in exchange for; in return for; to make up for
resentment; indignation; anger
when push comes to shove; when needed; when necessity arises; when the moment arrives
state of mind; mental state; mental attitude
knowingly or unknowingly; with or without someone's knowledge
dubious; puzzled; suspicious
sorting; arrangement; liquidation; settlement; retrenchment; curtailment
beacon; skyrocket; signal fire; starting shot; starting signal
to launch; to shoot up; (of waves) to dash; to wash up (ashore); to finish (e.g. a theater run, sumo tournament); to close
extensive; vast range; wide scope
to lure out of; to decoy out of; to drive to (tears, sleep, etc.); to evoke (sympathy, etc.); (arch.) to abduct; (arch.) to entice out of
open; unconcealed; undisguised; broad; lewd; indecent
higher rank; better position
anyway; anyhow; at any rate; in any case
massacre; annihilation; wholesale slaughter
trouble; burden; nuisance; care; dependence; support
to hold down; to twist someone's arm; to force (someone) to yield (e.g. an argument); to make (someone) surrender
inside one's heart; in one's mind
cast-off skin (snake, insect, etc.); husk; empty shell; exuvia; exuviae
sentiment; emotions; one's feelings; one's heart
pain; anguish; suffering; duhkha (suffering)
to shut one's eyes; to ignore; to pretend not to know; to die
breathing; respiration; knack; trick; harmony; balance
next (e.g. "next April"); forthcoming; coming; to come; to arrive; to be due to
in preparation (for); in case (of); in the lead-up (to)
positive; assertive; active; proactive; aggressive
intelligence gathering; information gathering
uncomfortable feeling; feeling out of place; sense of discomfort; malaise; physical unease
no matter how you put it; whatever the circumstances may be; say what you like; no matter how you look at it
with a start; in surprise; suddenly (realize, remember, etc.); all of a sudden; puffing (air); with a puff
won't; hasn't; isn't; won't you
to swell (out); to expand; to be inflated; to get cross; to get sulky; to pout