majority; more than half; most (of); mostly; largely; mainly
the solar calendar; the Gregorian calendar
December; twelfth month of the lunar calendar
21st day of the month; 21 days
an order of magnitude higher; off by a digit; in a different league; unbelievable; incomparable; unimaginable
to draw (conclusion); to deduce; to derive
near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon
remind me; I forget; was it?; was that what happened?
desperately; for one's dear life
dealing with; coping with
change to ...; becoming ...; making into ...; -ization; -ification
battle; war; fight (against time, poverty, etc.); struggle (for freedom, survival, etc.); contest; competition
to unfold; to unroll; to open
outline; summary; overview; synopsis; abstract; abridgment
to tan (i.e. suntan); to burn
the four cardinal directions; north, east, south and west; surroundings; many countries; the whole world; all around; here and there
to take a position (e.g. on an issue); to adopt a stance
remote region; outlying district; border district; frontier
treaty; pact; convention; agreement
outward appearance; ostensible; public; official
fact; truth; reality; in fact; actually
concealment; hiding; covering up; suppression
in; at; on; as for; regarding; with regards to
(not) well; (not) properly; (not) enough; (not) sufficiently; (not) satisfactorily; (not) decently
difficult to ...; hard to ...
huh?; eh?; what?; oh; hey!; look!
exaggerated; overdone; overblown; hyperbolic; bombastic; grandiose
swan (Cygnus spp.); white bird
number; edition; sobriquet; pen-name; size (of printing types, canvases, knitting needles, etc.); suffix attached to names of ships, trains, airplanes, etc.
next (e.g. "next April"); forthcoming; coming; to come; to arrive; to be due to
battlefield; battleground
as soon as ...; just after ...; immediately after ...; hurriedly; in haste; quickly
a few hours; several hours; a couple of hours
relation; connection; relevance
supply vessel; supply ship; cargo spacecraft
the more ... the more ...; as; (arch.) while; (arch.) during; (arch.) because; (arch.) since
to swell up; to bulge; to swell (of a budget, population, etc.); to increase significantly; to balloon
both extremities; North and South Poles; positive and negative poles
strong; potent; strong; brawny; good (at); skilled; being able to handle
same type; same model; isomorphism; homotypy