to go to ruin; to go under; to fall; to be destroyed; to die out; to become extinct
starting (a machine, engine, etc.); starting (a project, plan, etc.); beginning; initiation
sublime, magnificent beauty
to treat (someone) to (something); to give (someone) a treat; to buy (someone a meal, drink, etc.); to be extravagant; to live in luxury
decline; degeneration; decay; waning; ebbing
to be greedy; to be avaricious; to want badly; to desire intensely; to covet
centripetal force; unifying force; cohesive power
to give no leeway; to press (for an answer, etc.); to shower (questions on someone)
poisonous; venomous; hateful; detestable; gaudy; garish
prize money; monetary award; reward
enormous expenditure; huge expense; huge outlay; great cost
to give up on; to turn one's back on; to abandon; to forsake; to desert; to leave
severe criticism; sharp criticism; scathing criticism; diatribe; panning
general idea; concept; notion
money loser; high-cost, low-return project
the prospects look brighter; there is hope of accomplishing (something)
opaque; obscure; opacity; obscurity; unclear; unpredictable
to weaken; to grow weak; to be downcast; to be dejected; to be troubled; to be at a loss
last stand; last bastion; last stronghold; last frontier
to drop like a rock (e.g. of reputation, power, influence); to go down the toilet
puppet; marionette; puppet (person, organization, government, etc.); figurehead; (arch.) prostitute
to control; to take the lead in; to have under one's thumb
otherwise; or else; if not
great evil; scum of the earth; monster; fiend
to settle a matter; to get even with someone
from (this, here, etc.); since (this)
to state one's opinion; to offer one's opinion; to opine
abhorrent; abominable; detestable; ominous; inauspicious; unlucky
lie; fib; mistake; error; unwise move; bad decision
serious crime; grave sin; mortal sin; deadly sin
neglect (dereliction) of duty; negligence
real intention; true motive; true will; original intention; original purpose; original hope
dead body; corpse; cadaver; carcass
to bite (at); to snap at; to snap at (someone); to flare up at; to jump down (someone's) throat
to take part in (usu. something bad); to be a party to; to have a hand in
negative emotions; negative feelings
call for attention; alert; heads-up; reminder
to make good; to improve; to do often; to be kind to; to treat well
overlooking; turning a blind eye
sex slave; sexual slavery
one act (of a play); scene; event
to bite; to chew; to gnaw; to fumble one's words (esp. during a play, broadcast, etc.); to falter with one's words; to crash against (e.g. of waves); to break onto (shore)