victory; triumph; win; conquest; success
key; lock; key (to a problem, success, etc.); clue
to keep company; to listen to; to associate with; to play against (e.g. a team); to take on (e.g. a rival)
to see through (a lie, scheme, etc.); to see into (someone's mind); to read (someone's true feelings); to penetrate
movement; move; motion; trend; development; change
suppression (e.g. of free speech); force-out
leading; foremost; preeminent; outstanding; one of the best
worthy opponent; worthy rival; good match
if you think about it; come to think of it
foul; breaking the rules; violation (of the law, regulations, etc.); infringement; breach
to hit each other; to exchange blows; to fight
equal (in ability); even; evenly matched; well-matched; on par (with)
shudder; shiver; trembling with fear
daily; everyday; days (e.g. of one's youth); every day; day after day
training; practice; discipline; ascetic practices
to slacken; to loosen; to relax; to slack off (e.g. one's work, attention); to not put one's heart in
tempering (metal); annealing; forging; toughening; disciplining; training
to polish; to shine; to burnish; to refine (a skill, etc.); to improve; to hone
wonder; miracle; amazement; prodigy
basics; fundamentals; basis; basically; fundamentally
aging; ageing; growing older
weakening; emaciation; decline
cruel; heartless; violent; intense; very bad; terrible
to go against; to fight against; to oppose; to resist; to deny
to spend; to expend; to waste; to squander; to devote
-less; lacking; non-existing
to follow (someone's) example; to imitate; to copy; to learn (by observation)
astonishment; amazement; surprise; fright; shock
hardly any; almost nonexistent; very little
great swordsman; master fencer
famous; noted; renowned; celebrated; well-known
cool-headed; level-headed; hard-headed
to slash back; to strike back; to counterattack; to retort; to quickly turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction; to cut the wheel
engagingly; cordially; amiably; sociably; hospitably
to shake one's head (in denial)
nonstandard; out of spec; irregular; exceptional; extraordinary; unbelievable
keenly; deeply; calmly; quietly; fixedly (gazing, staring); intently
impact (on); (strong) impression; effect; impact (of a ball against a racket, bat, club, etc.)
to spoil; to ruin; to destroy; to make a mess of
somehow; for some reason (or other); without knowing why