the heat is off; things calm down; the excitement dies down
self-restraint; voluntary restraint; self-imposed control; self-discipline
trump card; ace up one's sleeve; secret weapon
indicates two contrasting actions; (arch.) indicates possessive (often found in place names and compound words)
the present regime; the existing regime
to yield; to give in; to bend (knee, etc.); to subdue; to overpower; (arch.) to feel down
obstruction; check; hindrance; prevention; impediment; interdiction
strong spirit; mettle; backbone; guts; fighting spirit
doubt; question; uncertainty; skepticism; scepticism; suspicion
to get cloudy; to cloud over; to cloud up; to fog up; to be gloomy; to be clouded (expression)
outward appearance; ostensible; public; official
as a matter of fact; to tell the truth
origin; source; birthplace; release from prison; discharge from prison; exit
to pay attention to another's needs; to attend to; to fuss about; to take into consideration
disposal; throwing away; dealing with (a problem); measure; punishment; penalty
criticism; blame; censure; attack; reproach
libel; defamation; slander; character assassination
sneakily; secretly; stealthily; on the sly
to fabricate; to invent; to make up (a story); to cobble up; to put together in a hurry
to let (someone) swim; to make (someone) swim; to make (someone) stumble forward; to make stagger; to let (a suspect) roam freely (while monitoring them); to leave at large
to speak badly (of); to speak ill (of); to bad-mouth
world; society; life; lifetime; age; era; reign
to knock down; to knock off
meaningful; suggestive; telling; significant; pregnant (pause etc.)
to scatter; to sprinkle; to distribute (handbills, etc.); to spread (rumours, etc.); to give the slip; to throw off
one way or another; in many ways; in various ways
law; act; method; mood; dharma; law
infringement (of a law, treaty, etc.); contravention; conflict (with a theory, claim, etc.); inconsistency; (arch.) collision; (arch.) contact
to put clothes on (someone); to dress; to cover; to coat; to pin (e.g. a crime on someone); to lay (blame)
real nuisance; becoming inconvenienced by someone else's problems (through no fault of one's own)
to become speechless; to be at a loss for words
declaration; proclamation; announcement
on the way; en route; in the middle of; midway; halfway
copper pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii); mountain bird
brilliant; bright; dazzling
to burn; to kindle; to heat (a bath); to light (a stove); to use (a camera flash)
contrary to expectations; or so we thought, but ...