present condition; existing state; status quo; current state
trump; trump card; ace up one's sleeve; secret weapon
war of aggression; war of conquest
biggest; greatest; largest; maximum
to operate (e.g. a machine); to handle; to have a good command of (a language); to play proficiently (of a musical instrument); to work (a puppet); to pull the strings of a puppet
to be temperate in; to refrain; to make notes; to jot down (e.g. phone number); to be in preparation for; to be in waiting for
in one go; in one gulp; in one breath; suddenly; all of a sudden; all at once
to be brought forward (e.g. by three hours); to be moved up; to be hasty; to be rash; to quicken; to speed up
information; news; information (data contained in characters, signals, code, etc.); informatics (as a subject)
to gather; to collect; to assemble
meeting; conference; session; assembly; council; convention
plan; project; schedule; scheme; program; programme
to knead; to thicken into a paste (stirring over a flame); to polish (a plan, etc.); to refine; to train; to drill; to gloss (silk)
counterattack; counteroffensive; counterblow
to have (someone) by the short hairs; to have something on (someone)
diplomacy; selling (e.g. door-to-door); canvassing
to rewind; to rally; to recover; to come back
possible; potential; practicable; feasible
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
small hill; low hill; hillock
to build; to construct; to put up; to build up (a fortune, reputation, enterprise, etc.); to establish (a relationship, system, etc.); to create
Metropolis (of Tokyo); (Tokyo) Metropolitan District; counter for cities and towns; capital
very close (to); within a stone's throw (of); a stone's throw away (from)
pilloried criminal exposed to public view; public scorn or humiliation; person shamed in front of others
nature; spontaneity; natural airhead
dweller; inhabitant; resident; user (of a website)
war; battle; campaign; (arch.) troops; (arch.) forces
to lose; to miss (a chance, opportunity); to lose (a loved one); to be bereaved of; to concede (goals, points, etc.)
on and after; from ... onward; since
to decrease (in size or number); to diminish; to abate
to continue; to keep up; to keep on; to continue ...; to keep on ...
to fall completely silent; to become still as death
near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon
to stay indoors; to be confined indoors
distribution (e.g. films, rice); rationing (e.g. food, gasoline); food ration
to be unable to endure; to be unable to stand (something); to lose patience
to disappear into; to be lost in; to do something under the cover of (confusion, etc.); to be almost indistinguishable; to be confusingly similar; to be diverted from (negative emotions, etc.)
to slip out; to sneak away; to break into the lead; to get ahead; to begin to fall out (e.g. hair); to break out (of a loop)
being dotted about; being scattered; being interspersed
escape; flight; running away; elopement; fleeing
as is; as it is; as things are; like this; this way; at this rate
to disappear (of people or animals); to go (away); to leave; to no longer exist