a lot; many; (not) much; (not) many; almost (none)
even so; however; still; whereupon; even though; nevertheless
cheating; fraud; trickery; fake; bogus; quack
premature; untimely (e.g. death); early
to pin down; to knock down; to push (and hold) someone down (esp. with sexual connotations)
to protect (someone); to look after (e.g. an injured leg); to defend; to cover for; to stand up for; to stick up for
crash; smash; crunch; bang
throwing stone; sling stone; slingshot; pellet; pebble; small rock
material ejected during a volcanic eruption (cinders, scoria, etc.)
protective wall; defensive wall; barrier; bulwark
several minutes; a few minutes
gap; lag; difference; discrepancy; shear (e.g. shear stress)
to step aside; to move (out of the way); to make way
(one's) grasp of the situation; knowing how matters stand
cruel; merciless; atrocious; pitiful; tragic; horrible
to be completely changed (for the worse); to be transformed
size; dimension; large and small (sizes); various sizes; daishō (matched pair of long and short swords); large and small drums; long months and short months
to roll; to tumble; to fall over; to roll over; to lie down; to be scattered about; to be lying around
to notice; to realize; to realise; to regain consciousness; to come to (one's senses); to come round
to lie face down; to lie flat (on one's stomach); to bend down (in submission); to bow down; to (crouch) and hide (behind); to conceal oneself; to lie down (and sleep)
escape; flight; running away; elopement; fleeing
defense; defence; safeguard; protection
before I knew it; next thing you know; when I came to; all of a sudden
lots of; a ton of; a mountain of; piles of; heaps of; so many
to be on the verge of; to be about to; to be on the point of
great famine; severe famine
to cover fully; to wrap around
dead center; (right in the) middle; midst; midst (e.g. of a storm); heyday; (the) height (e.g. of a debate)
to climb over; to get over; to overcome (a difficulty, obstacle, etc.); to surmount; to surpass (a predecessor); to overtake
wise ruler; sage king; intelligent and virtuous monarch
chair; chairman; chairperson; speaker (of an assembly); president (of a council, senate, etc.)
congress; parliament; diet; legislative assembly
call; summons; convening; convocation
safety; welfare; well-being
urgent; pressing; immediate; urgently; promptly; at once
crisply; with a crunch; refreshingly; sharply; candidly; frankly
weak; feeble; delicate; frail; helpless
to fight against; to oppose; to face
to weather (a storm, rough seas); to ride across; to get through (adversity); to weather; to load completely (e.g. books on a shelf, people or luggage in a car)
initial response (e.g. to a crisis); action in the earliest stages; initial shock (of an earthquake); preliminary tremor
delay; lag; falling behind; falling behind in; lagging behind in