skillful; adroit; craft; craftsmanship; plot; scheme
fidelity; honour; honor; chastity (of a woman); faithfulness (e.g. to one's husband)
to use up; to exhaust; to wear out
battle of wits; contest of wits
now advancing and now retreating; ebb and flow; seesawing; taking alternately favorable and unfavorable turns
to arrive at; to reach; to sit on; to sit at (e.g. the table)
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
defeat; loss; failing to live up to (one's name, looks, etc.); discount; loss (on a sale)
equal (in ability); even; evenly matched; well-matched; on par (with)
reality; actuality; hard fact
equality; equal; same rights; same rank; equivalence
remaining quantity; residual quantity
to be used up; to be run out; to be exhausted; to be consumed; to come to an end
already; now; no longer; not any more
signs of defeat; negative turn of events
rich (in flavor, color, smell, etc.); thick; very likely; highly possible; passionate; hot
deviation; inclination; offset; polarization; polarisation
to succeed; to bear fruit
to assault with a sword; to stab at; to slash at
darn it!; darn!; oops!; oh dear!; oh no!
even so; all the same; nevertheless; yes, but ...
disadvantage; handicap; unfavorable position
to work too hard; to try too hard; to strain oneself; to overdo it; to go too far
more and more; all the more; at last; finally; (at the) last moment; worst possible time
to herd; to drive; to corner; to force someone into doing; to go hard; to push yourself
to begin to appear; to begin to come in
to decrease (in size or number); to diminish; to abate
three times; thrice; third (musical interval); many times; over and over again
to knock together; to strike against each other; to arrange (e.g. a meeting); to discuss (in advance)
synthesis; coordination; putting together; comprehensive
ridge on the side of a sword blade; ridged pattern
to take out; to carry out; to bring out from where it belongs; to mention something; to broach a topic; to bring up (a subject)
opposite; reverse; contrary
trying to think of a way (to); devising means (to); working out (how to do); contriving (to raise money); managing
companions; friends; comrades; mates; partners
near oneself; close to one; familiar
exactly as stated; verbatim
to be anxious or concerned about; to ponder (anxiously); to fear; to investigate; to consider; to plan
parting; separation; farewell
covering; protection; backing; relief
to knock down; to shoot down; to lop off
to come into contact with; to touch (each other); to have a brush with
under (influence, control, conditions, etc. of); during (war, occupation, etc.)