to make it a principle to ...; to aim at doing
to carve; to engrave; to sculpt; to tattoo
incoherent; vague; silly; foolish
wife (esp. one's own wife); court lady; female court attache; (arch.) woman (esp. as a love interest)
on the least pretext; at the drop of a hat
to shut; to close; to seal
skillful; skilful; delicious; appetizing; fortunate; splendid
disappointed love; broken heart; unrequited love; being lovelorn
iron wall; impregnable fortress; impregnable; invulnerable; unassailable
chief seat; seat of honor; seat of honour; head of the table
belonging; ascription; attribution; reversion; return; restoration
expulsion; ousting; ejection; dismissal; banishment
sudden change; complete change
lone (isolated) force; forlorn force
unable to escape criticism; worthy of censure
to narrow; to reduce; to contract
(since) the beginning of the universe; (since) the dawn of time
as expected (positive events); as hoped for
to discuss; to talk about; to argue; to dispute; to take into consideration; to make an issue of
compliance; conformance; adaptation; (immediate) response; (rapid) reaction
acknowledgement; acknowledgment; understanding (e.g. "please be understanding of the mess during our renovation"); noting; acceptance
improper; inappropriate; unjust; unfair; unreasonable
visual hallucination; vision
to drive (e.g. horse, carriage)
assistant; adjunct; lieutenant
mouse; rat; dark gray; dark grey; slate (color, colour)
to hold back others from achieving success; to stand in the way of; to sabotage
laughing off; dismissing with a laugh
old furniture; curios; secondhand goods