earning the first (runs); preoccupation
prohibition; inhibition; ban
useless; no future in it; doesn't make sense; having no point
petty; small-minded; stingy; poor (performance, etc.); bad; unskilled
by myself; in person; by oneself
McDonald's (fast food restaurant); Mac (personal computer); Macintosh
operating expenses; budget
diversion; appropriation (e.g. of funds); misappropriation; re-use (e.g. old computer parts); recycling
aggravated breach of trust
innocence; guiltlessness; purity; uprightness; integrity
proof; testimony; demonstration; verification; certification
restriction; restraint; binding; constraint
you (people); gentlemen; ladies and gentlemen; my friends
resistance; opposition; reluctance; repulsion; resistance; drag
dismissal (from a post); discharge; removal
commandant; commanding officer; general
to stay on (e.g. at one's friends house); to remain in the same neighborhood
remarks; comments; way of talking; speaking style; excuse; topic (of conversation)
top brass; upper echelon; higher-ups; top management; upper reaches; top of the pile
focus (e.g. photographic); focal point
rearing; training; nurture; cultivation; promotion
Stars and Stripes (US flag); Star-Spangled Banner (US anthem)
appropriate; adequate; suitable; fitting; worthy
I've heard that ...; rumour has it that ...; it appears as if ...
battlefield; battleground
to take down; to bring down; to drop off (a passenger); to let off; to withdraw (money); to use for the first time; to wear for the first time
natural; understandable; reasonable; no wonder
to temper thoroughly; to train well
ecstatic; ecstatically; splitting headache
modus operandi; criminal technique; trick
secret; private; surreptitious
abandoning (hope, plans); giving up
obstruction; check; hindrance; prevention; impediment; interdiction
obstacle; impediment; hindrance; handicap; impairment; disability
very; extremely; terrible; horrid; remarkable; extraordinary
to run swiftly; to dash; to rush; to race