body; physique; shape; form; substance; identity; field
these guys; these fellows
doll; puppet; marionette; puppet (person under the control of another); straw man; yes-man
errand; mission; messenger; bearer; familiar spirit; use
(one's) family; dependents; household; follower; retainer; underling
siege; encirclement; envelopment; surrounding; besiegement
to be placed on; to be set on; to be piled on; to appear (in print); to be mentioned; to be recorded
real thing; original; actual
bat (Chiroptera spp.); umbrella; opportunist; turncoat
quick; swift; nimble; quick (understanding, judgement, etc.); alert; prompt
trouble; burden; nuisance; care; dependence; support
to set up (a house, store, etc.); to build; to have at the ready (e.g. a gun); to hold in preparation (e.g. a camera); to adopt a posture; to assume a stance; to put on an air
clicking one's tongue; tut-tut; smacking one's lips (with relish)
standing facing each other (e.g. mountains, buildings); standing opposite each other; confrontation; squaring off against (adversaries, armies, forces); standing off against
formidable enemy; strong enemy; tough enemy
living thing; organism; creature; biology
difficult to ...; hard to ...
evasion; avoidance; recusal (of a judge)
resistance (to heat, corrosion, etc.); tolerance (to a drug, pain, etc.); resistance (to drugs, pesticides, etc.)
important matter; matter of great importance; serious affair; major incident; emergency
the front; honest; upright; decent
to eat; to drink; to receive (e.g. a blow); to be on the receiving end (of something undesirable); to undergo (trouble)
taking refuge; finding shelter; evacuation; escape; seeking safe haven
impediment; burden; encumbrance; hindrance; drag
minimum; (very) least; at least some (comfort, etc.); only (consolation, saving grace, etc.); sole
guidance; leading; induction; introduction; incitement; inducement
charge; duty; person in charge; connection; linking
attack; assault; criticism; censure; cyber attack (e.g. DDoS)
support; help; backing; covering (from enemy attack); protection
little power; little influence; (one's) poor ability; limited ability; what little one can do
to prepare oneself (for the worst); to resolve oneself
to work too hard; to try too hard; to strain oneself; to overdo it; to go too far
cave-in (in a mine or tunnel); roof collapse; rockfall
joke; pun; jest; smartly dressed; stylish; fashion-conscious
unsuitable; inappropriate; improper
legendary beast; magical beast
for this very reason; that is exactly why
to substitute for; to stand in for; to fill in for
no matter what it takes; by any means necessary; at all costs; by hook or by crook
to gain time; to play for time; to buy time
to let out; to utter; to issue; to send; to leave; to depart
at the same time; at once; just as ...; the moment ...; (but) at the same time; as well as
dealing fully (with); going into (issue, etc.); stepping into; alcove