preferential treatment; special treatment; discrimination; express delivery; special delivery
to court; to woo; to approach defiantly
egoistic; self-centered; selfish
to hold (an event); to give (a dinner, party, etc.); to feel (sensation, emotion, call of nature, etc.); to show signs of
able; capable; competent; talented; efficient
opportunism; double standards; timeserving; expediency
to become overgrown; to grow thick; to spread; to run rampant; to thrive
every evening; night after night
under control (e.g. of territory)
to disappear; to vanish; to abscond; to decamp
at the most; at best; to the utmost; as much as possible; as much as one can
reinforcement; augmentation; strengthening; increase; buildup
military forces; hosts; troops
to be pleased; to gloat; to glow with self-satisfaction
there's no (other) way; cannot be helped; unavoidable; it's no use (doing); pointless; hopeless (person)
outskirts (of a town); edge (of a town); just outside the city limits
ringleader; mastermind; leader (of a plot)
dialogue; discussion; conversation; interaction
after; post; ex-; after the fact; ex post
irrefutable evidence; smoking gun; solid evidence; incontestable proof; dead giveaway
to shake; to wave; to swing; to sway
in a daze; absent-mindedly; dimly; hazily; with a roar (of flames); with a whoosh
menial; meanness; servility; abject
mixture; jumble; cord made by entwining threads of various colours
bulging eyes; goggle eyes; saucer eyes
whispering; subdued; murmuring; dry and tasteless
to catch (someone's words); to make out; to follow; to ask about (a situation, circumstances, etc.); to inquire
silence; keeping silent; giving no notice; giving no warning; wordless pantomime performed in the dark (in kabuki)
to take for granted; to assume; to pretend (to be); to pose (as); to go through with (what one decided to do); to persist in doing
it's different when ... but; it's not so bad when ... but
to trick; to cheat; to deceive; to seduce
to smoke; to smoulder; to be sooty; to be smoke-stained; to smoulder (e.g. a dispute); to smolder
as one expects; as one wants; to one's satisfaction; as one sees fit
thick; viscous; muddy; dirty (with oil, grease, etc.); to be in an ugly state (of emotions, relations, etc.); to be murky
courage; bravery; valour; valor; nerve; boldness
to do over again; to redo; to start over; to remake; to resume; to recommence