mental; mental health; mental state; mental resolve
failure; mistake; blunder
motionlessly (e.g. stand, wait); (be) still; fixedly (e.g. gaze, stare); intently (e.g. listen, think); patiently (e.g. endure); stoically
to stare (at); to gaze (at); to look hard (at); to watch intently; to fix one's eyes (on)
agent; agent; secret agent; spy
to say; to be called; to do
(one's) initials; first letter (of a name, sentence, etc.); initial; first
to give one's name (as); to introduce oneself (as); to claim to be; to call oneself; to reveal oneself (as); to admit to being
merger; joining into one; amalgamation; melding; merging; annexation
MI6 (from Military Intelligence Section 6); Secret Intelligence Service (UK); SIS
outsourcing; subcontracting
secretary-general; director-general; executive director; executive secretary
serving concurrently as; holding the additional post of
pressing; urging; demanding; demand
relatives; one's family; friends; members of the same organization; followers; henchmen
specialization; specialty; speciality; expertise
originally; from the start; from the beginning; none the worse (for); (coming out) even; in the same position (as before)
handicraft; work; construction; maneuvering; manoeuvring
to get worse; to deteriorate; to go from bad to worse; to spoil (of food); to go bad; to perish
postbox; mailbox; post; position; post (e.g. goalpost); post (on a blog, social media, etc.)
serving concurrently as; concurrently holding the position of; holding the additional post of; additional post
to shun; to avoid; to ostracize; to neglect; to distance oneself from; to give the hard shoulder
personage; person (deserving of respect)
know-how; expertise; the ropes; the knack
hard to please; difficult; particular; bad-tempered; in a bad mood; displeased
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
daily necessities; everyday item
(not) in any way; in no way; at all; terribly; awfully; hopelessly
change; transition; vicissitudes
woodworking; woodwork; woodworker; carpenter
friendly; affable; amiable; sociable; loving company; (animals) taking kindly to people
even if; even though; although one might say; although called
back and front; inside and outside; inside out (e.g. clothing); double-dealing; two faces (cf. two-faced); outward appearance and actual condition
a tiny bit; just a smidgin; a wee bit; very slightly
to come to like; to become fond of; to fall in love
calamity; misfortune; disaster
no sooner than; as soon as; immediately after; at the thought of; when I think about