negative; passive; half-hearted; unmotivated
believer; adherent; devotee; fanboy; fanatic; superfan
putting the cart before the horse; mistaking the means for the end; getting one's priorities backwards
to backfire; to produce a result opposite to what was expected or intended
to remonstrate; to admonish (someone) for; to advise (someone) not to; to warn against
point of compromise; common ground
to reschedule; to recompose; to recross (one's legs); to reset
to fall below (esp. figures: profits, unemployment rate, etc.); to be less than; to be lower than; to fall just short of; to be just under
to be sticky; to be adhesive; to persevere; to persist; to stick to
to be answerable (for); to take the blame
spectacular move (chess, shogi, etc.); brilliant move; expert; virtuoso; master
doubt; suspicion; fear; apprehension
to contract (to do); to undertake; to take on (work); (arch.) to take responsibility for; (arch.) to be liable for
righteous government; just rule; easy method; simple approach; orthodox way; proper way
one's heart's desire; one's dearest wish
to spill; to drop; to grumble (about); to complain (of); to let (one's feelings) show
trivial matter; trifling thing; something ordinary
pursuit (of a goal, ideal, etc.); search; chase; seeking after
to trace (drawing); to follow; to imitate; to copy; to reproduce
line of defence (defense); lines (as in enemy lines, etc.)
personal; inter-personal; anti-personnel (e.g. weapon, mine); anti-human; personal liability (e.g. insurance)
speciality; specialty; special subject of study; sole interest; single focus; concentrating exclusively on
backing (an initiative, candidate, etc.); support; backing up (another player); covering; backup
closely-guarded secret; top secret
proper; respectable; decent; (arch.) entirely; (arch.) completely; (arch.) wholly
atrocious; heinous; fiendish; brutal; vicious
stimulation (e.g. of an economy); revitalization (e.g. of a town); rejuvenation; activation
to wake up (someone; by calling out); to awaken; to bring back (e.g. memories); to evoke; to recall
transition; changeover; switchover; transfer (of powers, weight, etc.); shift (e.g. of centre of gravity)
factional dispute; factional strife; rivalry between factions
establishment; institution; installation (of a machine or equipment)
to build up one's strength; to get stronger; to give (someone) strength; to cheer (someone) up; to encourage (someone)
frame; framework; border; box; limit; restriction; category
to tie up; to tie together; to hang (oneself); to summarize; to put (it all) together; to estimate; to expect
regrettable; vexing; upsetting; unthinkable; wholly unexpected
early (prompt) settlement; swift resolution; speedy solution
how things should be; the way something ought to be; ideal state; ideal form
being painfully true (e.g. reprimand); making one's ears burn; striking home (e.g. remark); having an earache; feeling pain in one's ear
labour; labor; effort; toil; trouble
origin; source; history; originally; from the start; by nature
defense of one's country; defence of one's country
to revere; to respect; to worship