to play a leading role; to play a central part
dispersal; scattering; discrete
planned; scheduled; systematic
to search about for; to hunt around for; to look high and low for; to look everywhere for
difficult voyage; hard flight; rough going; rough passage; running into trouble
spider's thread; spider silk
so slight as to be all but non-existent
closure (of a road); suspension of traffic; road closed; closed to traffic; no through road
to walk; to move forward; to make progress
ideal; perfect; most suitable; just right
to dominate; to prevail; to be superior to; to get ahead of; to get the upper hand
inferior position; inferior situation; disadvantage; subordination
equality (esp. of status); equal footing; equal terms
to rule over; to govern; to command; to integrate; to consolidate; to unite
maximum; to the maximum degree; to the full
to win through (e.g. to the next round); to win game after game; to achieve a final victory; to fight to the end and win; to come out on top
right of control; supremacy; sovereignty
to come near; to approach; to be on the verge of; to be about to; to overhang; to hang over
to be hot on a person's heels
to apply pressure to; to press
dangerous; critical; grave; uncertain; unreliable; dodgy
spread; extension; influence; aftereffect; ripple
to receive permission; to leave (with someone's permission); to retire; to refuse; to beg off doing
near; close by; within reach; familiar
street corner; road turn; bend in the road; turning point; watershed
it's best to; it's safest to; there's nothing better than
slowly and quietly; smoothly
the same as it was long ago; unchanged; traditional
shopfront; storefront; shopwindow; over-the-counter
cart (esp. a food cart); stall; festival float; portable shrine dedicated to a god and shaped like a house; stage prop fashioned after a large building; framework (of a house, etc.)
to leave one's seat; to temporarily excuse oneself (from a meeting, etc.); to step outside; to be away (from one's desk, etc.)
rubber band; elastic band
to be able to reach; to be within one's reach; to be able to afford; to be near (a certain age)
to walk with; to make someone tag along; to carry around (esp. a child); to carry about
funny story; funny anecdote
start of a romance; beginning of love
valuable article; valuables
receiving; reception; eating; drinking; please; please do for me
having sticky fingers; compulsive thievery; habitual movement of one's hands; marks from being handled often