second; number two; runner-up
(some type of) enthusiast; somebody possessed of a (certain kind of) mental abnormality
favorite (top choice) for the championship (favourite); best bet for the title
brush tip; first on a list; head; chief
suddenly; all of a sudden
trait; peculiarity; idiosyncrasy
habit (often a bad habit, i.e. vice); tendency; peculiarity; idiosyncrasy; crease; wrinkle
to see; to look; to examine; to look over; to look after; to attend to; to experience
life; lifetime; career; for life; all one's life; throughout one's life
origin; source; base; basis; cause; ingredient; material
war; battle; match; game; competition
thirst for blood; bloodlust; determination to kill
madness; insanity; irregularity; deviation; fanaticism; fanatic
(real) ability; true strength; merit; arms; force
to measure; to weigh; to survey; to conjecture; to infer; to surmise
(stage) appearance; performance; participation (e.g. in a tournament)
to ask; to enquire; to inquire; to search; to look for; to look into
showman; impresario; promoter; producer
control; management (e.g. of a business)
participants; participating athletes
bizarre plan; perplexing strategy; outlandish scheme
great; grand; extensive; large-scale
appeal (e.g. to public opinion); plea; appeal (e.g. sex appeal); attractiveness; appeal (e.g. in baseball); emphasizing (strong points, etc.)
during; for the duration of
tacit understanding; unspoken agreement
to miss (e.g. a chance); to lose; to set free; to let go; to fail to ...
pride in one's strength or skill
totally willing; fully motivated
duty; sense of duty; honor; in-law; relation by marriage
blood (in one's face, cheeks, etc.); colour; color; hot-bloodedness; hotheadedness; impulsive temperament
interest (on a loan, deposit, etc.)
about; concerning; related to; -ish
to entice; to tempt; to invite someone to join in
profit; advantage; benefit; rebirth in paradise, entering nirvana
recommendation; referral; endorsement
soldier; combatant; warrior
to be of benefit; to be useful; to be good for you
formation; establishment; conclusion (e.g. of a deal); reaching (e.g. an agreement); being valid (of a theory, argument, etc.); holding
what the?; what's that?; what are you doing?; what's going on?
to swell; to rise; to bulge; to rouse; to get excited
material (for a story, article, etc.); information; joke; jest; proof; evidence; (magician's) trick
to apply for; to make an application; to propose (marriage); to offer (mediation); to make an overture (of peace); to challenge