birth; lineage; identity; background; provenance; origin
dismissal of class (at the end of the day); recess (at school); break
the point just before; the point of doing; the verge of happening
dispatch of troops; despatch of troops
contrary to expectations; or so we thought, but ...
beyond expectation; contrary to expectations; unexpectedly
pattern; figure; state; condition; conjecture of the current situation; the way it seems; model
to match (rhythm, speed, etc.); to join together; to unite; to face; to be opposite (someone); to compare; to check with
reinforcement (e.g. of troops)
war potential; military strength; fighting power; ability (to compete); capabilities; valuable asset
to urge; to encourage; to press; to stimulate (e.g. growth); to hasten (e.g. development); to quicken
outline; main points; generally; on the whole; general; rough
to order; to command; to appoint
on the occasion of; circumstances; juncture
very improbable; vanishingly unlikely; only with a miracle
commander; commanding officer; CO
to come alive; to get going; to start to move
variables; uncertain elements; uncertainties; imponderables
to ascertain; to check; to make sure
means of making contact; intermediary; go-between; connections; influence; pull
to be hit; to strike; to touch; to be in contact; to be equivalent to; to be applicable; to be right on the money (of a prediction, criticism, etc.)
to gulp down (a drink); to slurp
to dance (orig. a whirling dance); to flutter about; to revolve
that is so; that is right; it looks to me; people say that; it is said that; I hear that
the matter you have been talking about
to sniff out; to get wind of
though; although; be that as it may; nonetheless
to seize; to catch; to obtain; to acquire; to understand; to grasp
to read the situation; to sense the mood
regular customer; valued client
service; help; discount; discounted item; free service; freebie; service
warm; mild; (pleasantly) hot; considerate; kind; genial
soft; tender; gentle; mild; informal; light
to twine around; to twist around; to coil around; to pester; to hassle
to pin down; to hold down; to cover (esp. a part of one's body with one's hand); to clutch (a body part in pain); to get a hold of; to obtain
to stretch larger; to enlarge (photos); to delay (e.g. the end of a meeting)
locking technique in judo