these days; nowadays; now; at present; recently; lately
rich person; wealthy person
way; method; means; resource; course
adopted daughter; foster daughter
history; pedigree; lineage
relatives; one's family; friends; members of the same organization; followers; henchmen
expulsion; ousting; ejection; dismissal; banishment
capable person; talented person; human resources; personnel
(political) power; authority; influence
charm; fascination; glamour; glamor; attraction; appeal
old evils; long-standing abuses; old-fashioned ways; old-fashioned; outdated; outmoded
to tie; to bind; to fasten; to restrict (freedom); to tie down (with rules, regulations, etc.); to fetter
time; hour; season; suitable time; opportunity; chance
branch (of a river); tributary; branch; offshoot; something not mainstream
to look around; to look towards (us)
labour shortage; labor shortage; shortage of workers; shortage of hands
guardian; protector; patron; parent
head house; main family; founder (of a certain school, style, etc.); originator; birthplace
daughter; girl (i.e. a young, unmarried woman)
matter for the future; something that is a long way off; something that is not going to happen anytime soon
to call; to summon; to send for; to call together
artificiality; pretence; contrived act; commission (of a crime); feasance
origin; birthplace; descent; lineage; ancestry
selfish; egoist; (arch.) self-indulgent; (arch.) wilful; (arch.) willful
background; scenery; background (of an incident, situation, etc.); circumstances; backing; support (from behind the scenes)
to support; to maintain; to bring up; to raise; to adopt (a child); to cultivate (a habit, a quality, etc.)
ivy (esp. Boston ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
sweetly (smiling); broadly (grinning)
to cut (cloth, paper, etc.); to cut off; to sever (ties); to break off (relations); to cut off (a supply route, enemy's retreat, etc.); to block
to paw (at) the ground; to struggle (using one's arms and legs); to flounder; to struggle (to escape an adverse situation); to strive
protagonist; main character; hero; head (of a household); proprietor (of a store)
putting on a brave face; put-on cheeriness; pretending one is fine; show of courage; bravado; Dutch courage
scenery; scene; landscape; scene (e.g. of a crime)
position; situation; viewpoint; standpoint; point of view
to live; to exist; to make a living; to subsist; to be in effect; to be in use
wise saying; famous saying; witty remark
spirit; sprite; energy; vigor (vigour); fine details; semen
physical strength; power; stamina; strength (of a business, economy, etc.)
thickly; heavily; richly; severely; strongly
diet; dieting; losing weight (through dieting, exercise, etc.)
negative thinking; pessimism