to relax one's efforts; to let up; to let one's guard down
to turn one's hand to; to reach out one's hand; to get involved in; to make a move on; to strike; to beat
winning over; placation; gentle persuasion
to take action; to start; to get started; to begin to do
smoke screen; dazzler; camouflage; deceptive means; magic; witchcraft
plot; scheme; trick; design; intrigue; artifice
cloistered rule; government by cloistered emperors
to devise; to arrange; to plan; to plot
outside of; not covered by
to go smoothly; to turn out well; to do the trick; to have peaceful relations
to dominate; to prevail; to be superior to; to get ahead of; to get the upper hand
surfacing; rising to the surface; emerging; leaping into prominence; rising (of rank)
each house; every house; many houses
one's own house; own; personal; autologous
to recommend; to endorse (e.g. a candidate); to infer (from); to deduce; to think (something) through; to ponder deeply
should time and circumstances permit
live coals (for firelighting); cause (of disturbance, conflict, etc.); trigger
early on; earlier on; from early
to be discordant; to have discord
to establish a lead; to distinguish (between); to ascertain or tell the difference (between); to discriminate
interruption; interference; butting in
final; eventual; ultimate
to wring (towel, rag); to squeeze; to squeeze (fruit to extract juice); to press; to rack (one's brains); to strain (one's voice); to extort
alone; by oneself; on one's own
to abate; to decrease; to diminish; to shorten
to use one's influence; to pull strings; to take measures; to make the necessary preparations
blameless; above reproach; beyond reproach; faultless; perfect
choosing; selecting; deciding (on)
entrusting (everything to); leaving (a matter) entirely with
to explain clearly; to give detailed instructions
to incline; to lean; to devote oneself to; to concentrate on; to ruin; to squander
right to decide; having say (in a decision)
(sudden) complete reversal (of plot); unexpected twist (at end of story)
trembling with fear; filled with trepidation
(an) unknown; unknown number; variable; unknown quantity; not yet known
to invite; to ask; to beckon; to wave someone in; to call in; to send for
and so on; and so forth; et cetera; comment; criticism
cover (e.g. for illegal activity); front; Dendropanax trifidus (species of flowering plant); straw raincoat that makes one invisible
eccentric; crank; oddball
to be hard to deal with; to be an eccentric; to be idiosyncratic