preparation; arrangements; getting ready; provision; setup; reserving
language; dialect; word; phrase; speech; (manner of) speaking
as if; as though; (not) at all; (not) in the slightest; really; completely
like; similar to; as with; in the same way
armaments; military preparations
meeting; conference; session; assembly; council; convention
something; something or other; so-and-so; somehow (handling, dealing with something); anyhow; one way or another
to be on track; to be going to plan; to enter orbit
occurrence; incidence; generation (of power, heat, etc.); production; ontogeny; development
the north; northward; northern direction; northern part (e.g. of a country); northern district
the south; southward; southern direction; countries in the south (esp. Southeast Asia and the pre-WWII South Pacific Mandate)
seashore; coast; seaside; waterfront; beach
almost completely empty; virtually empty; inadequately defended; undefended; unguarded
invasion; incursion; raid; aggression; intrusion; trespass
earth; ground; place; territory; bottom (of a package, book, etc.); earth (one of the five elements)
neighboring countries; surrounding countries
where ... is concerned; when it becomes; if it becomes
the problem (at issue); the point at issue; problematic issue; problem
how; in what way; why; for what reason; cannot possibly; no way
warships and other vessels; naval vessels
only; merely; but; no more than
counter for ships; counter for half of a pair (e.g. half of a folding screen); (arch.) counter for items carried in a bundle (e.g. fish, birds, arrows)
to have a reason; to have an excuse
the one before last; two generations, etc. previous
neighbouring country; neighboring country; adjacent country
and the like; such as; or something; something like; I hear that ...; people say that ...
after that; afterwards; thereafter
control of the sea; command of the sea
above; over; top; summit; surface; on (top of); the above (in a piece of writing)
means; way; method; measure
to lose; to miss (a chance, opportunity); to lose (a loved one); to be bereaved of; to concede (goals, points, etc.)
that is so; that is right; it looks to me; people say that; it is said that; I hear that
ancient times; distant past; antiquity
period; epoch; the times; those days; oldness; ancientness
robust; brawny; muscular; strong; sturdy
to be (in contrast to something that is not the case)
large; big; great; prominent; -sized; as big as; university
expansion; extension; magnification; enlargement; escalation; spread