is not; am not; are not; isn't it?
fighting a good fight; putting up a good fight; fighting bravely
brush tip; first on a list; head; chief
degree of familiarity; popularity; name recognition; notoriety
group (of people, competitors, companies, etc.); contingent; camp; team
after all; because; but; even; too; as well
to be inferior to; to be less good at; to fall behind
to gather; to collect; to assemble
overflowing; effusive; exuberant; bountiful
to respond; to answer; to meet (e.g. demands, expectations); to affect; to take a toll; to strike home
as one would expect; just as you'd expect (from); just like (someone)
morale (of troops, team, etc.); esprit de corps
early; a little earlier than usual; a little faster than usual; slightly quicker
counterattack; counteroffensive; counterblow
elevation (of spirits); raising (of morale); uplift; upsurge
way; manner; (for) the first time in (e.g. ten years); after ...; ...-sized; amount (equivalent to ...)
to state; to express; to say; to tell; to mention
each country; every country; various countries; all countries
restoration; recovery; rehabilitation; recovery (from an illness); recuperation; convalescence
to attack; to assault; to challenge; to take on; to be bold; to be audacious
to hold on to something (secret, lead in a race, etc.)
name recognition; established reputation
symbol (of something abstract); emblem; (symbolic) representation
people; men and women; each person; everybody
courage; bravery; valour; valor; nerve; boldness
only; merely; but; no more than
hope; wish; aspiration; (bright) prospects; expectation
stage (of a theatre, concert hall, etc.); stage performance; stage production; setting (of a story); scene; sphere (of activity)
unobstructed view; perspective; forecast; outlook; insight; foresight
ace up one's sleeve; trump card; secret skills; secret; (arch.) left hand
announcement; presentation; demonstration; displaying; showing; introducing
wasteful; a waste; too good; more than one deserves; impious; profane
cheating; deception; trickery; manipulation; juggling; falsifying
to excel at; to be proficient at; to grow old; to ripen; to rise high (e.g. of the sun)
to decide; to determine; to resolve; to break and overflow (e.g. levee); to collapse; to give way
irresponsible; perfunctory; lukewarm; half-baked; (already) enough; considerably
disqualification; elimination; incapacity; being unfit for one's role; being a failure
to look away; to avert one's eyes; to avoid facing (e.g. reality)
to stop (plug) one's ears
weak person; the weak; vulnerable person; disadvantaged person
bitter (e.g. criticism); sharp; biting; severe; scathing; harsh
to precede; to forestall; to anticipate
impudent; brazen; shameless; bold
to shake; to jolt; to rock (cradle); to swing
misrecognition; mistaking (x for y)