to bluff; to act brave; to put on a bold front
to decide; to determine; to establish; to lay down; to bring peace (to); to make peaceful
to pull tight; to brace; to tighten
diplomatic negotiations; negotiations through diplomatic channels
great speed; extreme speed; swiftness
drawing a sword; drawn sword
how (beautiful, etc.); what a ...; nothing worth mentioning; nothing special; of what name
nod; inclination of the head
let me humbly say; most humbly; with all due respect
waterfall; (arch.) rapids
to draw off; to run out; to flush out
will not do; do not; does not
cutting in line; queue jumping
higher rank; better position
to be worm-eaten; to be eaten by worms; to affect adversely; to spoil; to ruin
to stand in the way; to bar someone's way; to block the way
battery; battery; pitcher and catcher
-like; -looking; -looked; tending to ...
being unhuman; being removed from humanity; being unworldly
(with a) click (e.g. camera shutter); (with a) snap
superintendent; director; curator; chief librarian
(are you) alright?; (are you) OK?
pride of place; most prominent; top-ranking
heavy (feeling, etc.); gloomy (weather, etc.); oppressive (atmosphere, etc.); stifling; strained
refined; genteel; graceful; decent
parched; dried-up; empty; hollow; rattling; clattering
wick; marrow; core; heart; pistil (of a flower); stamen
to collapse; to give up; to lose one's nerve; to have one's knees give way
ancestor; forefather; originator; pioneer; grandfather
translation; deciphering; decoding; translation
talented; gifted; prodigious; virtuoso; masterful