to decrease (in size or number); to diminish; to abate
promising stock; stock with potential; hopeful stock; promising person; person with good prospects
to smash; to crush; to shut down; to put out of business; to wreck; to break; to butcher
how about ...?; I wonder; I don't know
deep (hole, forest, snow, etc.); dense (e.g. fog); thick (e.g. weeds, woods); close (e.g. relationship); deep (involvement); intense (e.g. longing, flavor); severe
to bring up a subject; to touch on a matter
bothersome; tiresome; bother to do
negative; passive; half-hearted; unmotivated
speech; address; curtain speech; prologue; way of speaking; manner of speech
and then; and so; and; so then
plan; project; schedule; scheme; program; programme
even if I say so myself; for me (to do such a thing)
how long; how far; how much
faint hopes; dim prospects; little hope; unlikely (to be successful)
naming; nominating; designating; calling on; asking for; requesting
lifeboat; friend in need; helping hand; timely help
to (be able to) agree (with); to be able to accept; to find acceptable; to be convinced; to understand
calling by name; designation; nomination
war; battle; campaign; (arch.) troops; (arch.) forces
sarcastic; having a sharp tongue; having a sharp nasty tongue
to have meaning; to be meaningful
aim; object; expectations; prospects; something that can be relied upon; snack served with alcoholic drink; pad
to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse
to drop in; to go see (someone); to come to hang out
pressing; urging; demanding; demand
business; thing to be done; something that should be performed; information that should be conveyed
to look after; to take care of; to be put in charge of; to be given responsibility for; to withhold (an announcement); to reserve (judgment)
absence of permission; lack of permission; absence of (advance) notice; lack of notice
calm; composed; cool; quiet
does not seem; unlikely; improbable
well; properly; suitably; best regards; please remember me
letter of invitation; letter of recommendation; reference
to surprise; to frighten; to create a stir
sad; miserable; unhappy; sad; lamentable; deplorable
to outwit; to outsmart; to counterplot; to pierce something all the way through
to read (someone's) thoughts; to guess what (someone) is thinking
complete defeat; losing all of one's matches; finishing the tournament with no wins
bluff; false show of power; bold front