bizarre plan; perplexing strategy; outlandish scheme
turning another away at the gate or front door; refusing to receive a caller
meticulous; careful; discreet; scrupulous; prudent
enforcement; implementation; putting into practice; carrying out; operation; working (e.g. working parameters)
right beside; close to; nearby
calvaria; area at top of head; parietal
to lose hair; to become bald; to become bare (e.g. a mountain becomes bare of trees)
cease-fire; truce; armistice
at the last moment; this late in the game
to get; to secure; to learn; to master; to complete
to shout; to cry; to scream; to clamour
to feel like it; to get to think that way; to become so minded
to withdraw; to leave; to retire; to back down; to give up
easily; readily; with ease; without trouble
circumstances; condition; to arrange; to manage; to lend money; to raise money
wrasse (any fish of family Labridae)
leaving (e.g. work at end of day); withdrawal (e.g. from a noble's or superior's presence); exit (e.g. from a market)
half-cooked; vague; halfhearted; indecisive
dramatic decrease; sharp drop; sudden fall
head-on; to one's face; squarely; directly; flatly (e.g. refuse)
to wipe; to mop up; to get rid of (an impression, feeling, blemish, etc.); to dispel (e.g. shame); to erase
to harden; to solidify; to become firm; to become certain; to gather (together); to assemble
to coo at; to behave like a spoiled child; to snort; to sniff
pressure; encouragement; urging; promoting
difficult to imagine; quite unlikely to; very doubtful; would not expect
cancellation; liquidation; resolution; reduction (e.g. of stress)
weight; weight (e.g. of someone's words); burden; importance; significance
to be mixed; to be blended with; to associate with; to mingle with; to join
it cannot be that...; it is highly unlikely that...; it is impossible that...
it's best to; it's safest to; there's nothing better than
utensil; implement; tool; instrument; appliance; apparatus
to be reminded of; to call to mind
to reconsider; to rethink; to reassess
to investigate thoroughly; to examine closely; to probe into; to be obsessed with a thought; to brood over; to worry about
to check through; to thoroughly investigate
inscrutable; incomprehensible