being able to do as one pleases; doing at will; pothook
iron wall; impregnable fortress; impregnable; invulnerable; unassailable
shield; buckler; escutcheon; pretext
incomparable; cannot compare (with); beyond comparison; in another league
surprise; astonishment; wonder; amazement
explosive; sudden and dramatic (of an increase in sales, popularity, etc.); explosive; rapid
amplification (elec.); magnification; amplification; making larger
diversion; putting something to another use
left hand; left-hand side; left-hand direction; (on) the left
brightness; brilliance; brilliancy; radiance; glitter
to collapse; to crumble; to get out of shape; to lose one's shape; to break down; to be thrown into disarray; to crash (stock market)
snake; serpent; large snake
overhead; above one's head; high in the sky
to jump (out of the way); to jump back; to jump aside
persistent; obstinate; tenacious; relentless; insistent; importunate
to chase; to run after; to pursue
extinction; extinguishment; disappearance; annihilation
to reach; to amount to; to be up to the task; to come up to; to compare with; to be a match (for)
trifling with; toying with; playing with; tossing about (a ship)
to penetrate; to sink in; to devote oneself (to); to do intently and exclusively; to do throughout (e.g. the night)
to dance (orig. a hopping dance)
when; at what time; how soon; normal times; ordinary days
to laugh; to smile; to sneer; to ridicule; to be dumbfounded; to be flabbergasted
to scatter away; to blast away; to blow away (via explosion)
to turn; to shift; to alter; to distract
to graze (e.g. bullet); to scratch; to touch lightly; to take a percentage; to exploit; to squeeze
chance to win; opportunity to win; chance of victory
after all; in the end; anyway; (cannot) possibly; (not) at all; (not) by any means
to read; to recite (e.g. a sutra); to chant; to predict; to guess; to decipher; to count
to be useful; to be helpful; to serve the purpose
expectation; anticipation; purpose; intention; others' opinions of one; speculation
to break; to destroy; to wreck; to ruin; to break (a bill, etc.)
quite capable of ...; could happen; not unlikely to
to have meaning; to be meaningful
trump card; ace up one's sleeve; secret weapon
to unravel; to untie; to break into small pieces (of fish, meat, etc.); to relax; to ease
still more; even more; all the more; still less; even less
offense and defense; offence and defence
even ... (e.g. "even a genius")
things on hand; things in stock; money on hand; money in one's wallet; on hand; in stock
to endure; to keep out (e.g. rain); to pull through; to get over; to surpass; to outdo