to work (someone) hard; to push (someone) around
known as ...; also known as ...; called ...; AKA
with a click (of a button or switch); with a snap; crisply; one (small protrusion, hole, etc.); single; shortly
somehow dirty; slightly dirty; dingy; somewhat base; vaguely underhanded
leaving (on, open, unfinished, etc.); (doing) continuously; constantly; keep ...-ing
sudden change; complete change
to fling off; to throw off; to cast aside; to abandon; to throw to the winds
to retreat; to back off; to draw back; to step back; to shrink away
to catch and tie up; to apprehend; to entangle; to trap; to brush out (e.g. dust, fur, plaque); to extract
to loiter around; to wander about
and then; and so; and; so then
make-up; makeup; cosmetics; decoration; dressing; veneer
(all) at once; at the same time; in one go; right away; in an instant
thinking back now; looking back
plain; frank; candid; open; direct; straightforward
very likely; very probable
as one would expect; just as you'd expect (from); just like (someone)
(looking around) restlessly; (looking) all around; goggling
explosive increase; rising dramatically; shooting up
it cannot be that ...; it is highly unlikely that ...; it is impossible that ...
final stage; final stretch; live printing area (in publishing); gallery (in a theatre); driving (animals, fish, etc.); herding
beyond one's means or position
excess; surplus; superabundance; overabundance
tree trunk; bole; backbone; base; foundation
independent action; acting alone
reasoning; inference; deduction; mystery genre; detective genre
equality (esp. of status); equal footing; equal terms
to be beyond one's capacities; to be beyond one's powers; to be beyond one's control; to be unmanageable
advantageous; favourable; better; profitable; lucrative; gainful
to seize; to capture; to arrest; to hold down; to subdue
to make a mistake (in); to commit an error; to be wrong; to be incorrect; to mislead; to misguide
scenery; scene; landscape
to warp; to bend; to contort; to be perverted; to be warped (of a view, mind, etc.); to be distorted
ecstasy; rapture; trance; senility
conclusive evidence; positive proof; definite proof; confirmation
awkward; uncomfortable; embarrassing
glaringly; dazzlingly; blazingly
rate; ratio; percentage; commission; poundage; percentage
to snap; to break (under pressure)
(several) tens; dozens; scores (of)
sound of pistol fire; sound of exploding gunpowder; exchange of (pistol) fire; shootout; conflict
to flick out; to spring out; to calculate; to work out; to expel (from a group); to drive out