nothing but; none other than
guidance; lead; introduction; good offices; guide; primer
condition; term; requirement; qualification; prerequisite
pride; dignity; self-respect
handsome; shapely; clean-cut (features)
(face) mask; (facial) features; looks; mask (e.g. for circuit etching)
but then; although; though; reasonable; natural; just
to strain (e.g. one's nerves); to be on edge; to be tense (of an atmosphere); to cover completely (e.g. with tiles, ice, etc.); to spread over; to become covered (in)
mature woman; middle-aged woman
feeling; sense; impression
wretched; miserable; shameful; mean; despicable; abject
to be degraded; to come down in the world; to lose status; to be ruined; to fall low
bottomless; endlessly deep; infinite
yielding; submission; surrender; giving way; succumbing
which; where; all; both; anyway; anyhow
reigning (over a country); dominating; controlling; dictating
lifespan; life; lifetime; life (of a battery, lightbulb, etc.); service life; end of an object's (useful) life
don't worry about it; forget about it
settlement; solution; resolution
to advance; to move forward; to carry forward (plans, work, etc.); to proceed with; to raise; to elevate
by no means; never!; certainly (not); surely (not); something unexpected; emergency
shivering; trembling; shuddering; shaking
(act of) violence; vicious crime; murder
as one likes; as one wants; as one wishes; as one hopes; as one sees fit; to one's satisfaction
emotional strength; force of will
to reach; to amount to; to be up to the task; to come up to; to compare with; to be a match (for)
victim (esp. someone killed); casualty
presumably; it seems that ...; I guess that ...; I suppose that ...; one could infer that ...
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)
ill will; spite; bad meaning; mala fides; bad faith; malice
fragment; broken piece; chip; ounce (of truth, conscience, etc.); trace; shred
only recently; just of late
to outwit; to outmanoeuvre; to steal a march on; to get the jump on; to anticipate; to forestall
ringleader; mastermind; leader (of a plot); forerunner; pioneer
powerlessness; helplessness; incompetence; ineffectiveness
probably not; probably won't; intend not to; will not; trying not to; attempting not to; whether you ... or not
to raise one's voice; to shout
to break; to snap; to be injured; to wear out; to be worn out; to break; to burst
to be (animate); to be; to be ...-ing; to have ...-ed; to be ...-ed; to (have the audacity to) do
biggest; greatest; largest; maximum
to be no match for; to not hold a candle to