near; neighbourhood; nearly (e.g. "it took nearly one year"); close to; shortly; soon
to attract notice; to catch the eye; to stand out
infiltration; sneaking in; going undercover
to surpass; to outstrip; to excel
process; course; mechanism
to need; to demand; to take; to require
labour; labor; effort; toil; trouble
stimulus; impetus; incentive; encouragement; motivation; provocation
after all; in the end; when all's said and done; for the time being; at present
enemy territory; hostile place
taking no notice (of); thinking nothing of; disregarding; not aware of; completely ignoring; being out of consideration
count; counting; count of balls and strikes; count (after a knock-down in boxing); count (of radioactivity)
ordinary; common; commonplace; mediocre; unremarkable; undistinguished
poor (at); weak (in); not very good (at); not one's cup of tea; not one's favorite
to practice magic; to practise magic
brilliant; glorious; glittering; bright; splendid (e.g. achievement, success); promising (e.g. future)
to crowd together in a confined space; to gather and make a commotion
to go to the top; to climb to the top; to ascend to the top; to be engrossed in; to be very enthusiastic about; to be infatuated with
ordinary person; average person; mediocre person
advantage; point in favor; point in favour
stone; jewel; precious stone; flint (in a lighter); stone (in go); stone (in the bladder, kidney etc.); calculus
should time and circumstances permit
weapon; arms; ordnance; weapon (something used to gain an advantage); asset
to clear; to make clear; to be unruffled; to look unconcerned; to look demure; to look prim
to throw; to fling; to heave; to toss
to fail; to blunder; to mess up; to be dismissed; to be fired
husband; groom; (one's) son-in-law
to threaten; to menace; to frighten (into doing)
threat; bird-scaring device (scarecrow, gun, etc.)
to yield; to give in; to bend (knee, etc.); to subdue; to overpower; (arch.) to feel down
anyhow; anyway; somehow or other; generally speaking; in any case
lesson; section (in an organization); division; counter for lessons and chapters (of a book)
anticlimax; let-down; disappointment; loss of interest
out (of a ball, in tennis, etc.); outside the line; out; putout; outer; external; exit
dangerous; risky; in danger; in jeopardy; uncertain; unreliable