grand; far-reaching; ambitious
sacrificial pawn; sacrificed piece; sacrifice
possible; conceivable; likely; probable
to catch; to capture; to grasp (e.g. meaning); to perceive; to captivate; to move (one's heart)
guess; speculation; supposition
spine; line of the backbone; seam down the back (of clothing)
cold (to the touch); chilly; icy; (emotionally) cold; coldhearted; unfeeling
secretly; in secret; unseen; unobserved; inwardly; in private
change; alteration; difference; distinction; something wrong; abnormality
working feverishly; strenuous efforts; furious dedication (to a task); (arch.) having dishevelled hair; (arch.) fighting with dishevelled hair
minute; detailed; careful; scrupulous; thorough
distant place; faraway location; far away
prominent; eminent; leading; foremost; distinguished
certain amount; some; certain person; Mr So-and-so; (arch.) I; (arch.) me
having a headache; racking one's brains; troubling over something
to attend on; to wait on; to accompany; to escort; to chaperone
assembling (in full force); muster; lining up; gathering; getting together
to fall into (e.g. a hole); to fall into (chaos, depression, dilemma, illness, etc.); to fall into (a trap, etc.); to fall; to surrender
imprudent; indiscreet; immodest; indecent; inconsiderate; inappropriate
to be born; to come into the world
if anything; if pushed I'd say; if I had to say
mark; sign; symbol; emblem; badge; crest
search (esp. for someone or something missing); manhunt; legally authorized search of a person, building, etc.
recollection; retrospection; reflection; reminiscence
to give a little chuckle; to let out a giggle
to sit down at the dining table (with someone); to eat with company; to share a table
December; twelfth month of the lunar calendar
to enter; to go in; to set (of the sun or moon); to sink; to attain (nirvana, enlightenment, etc.); to achieve
to dig up; to turn up; to tear up; to rake up (e.g. old scandal); to dig over
swing and a miss; (punching and) failing to make contact; (ending in) failure; fruitless effort
return (home); repatriation; feedback (in an electronic circuit, biological system, etc.)
to set out (on a journey); to start (a task)
dissuasion (from resigning, leaving, etc.); persuading (to stay)
engineering works; civil engineering; public works
to move (house); to change residence
(national) capital (city); metropolis
subsidence; sinking; fall (of a city, fortress, etc.); surrender; fall (in position, rank, etc.); demotion
encroachment; invasion; erosion (e.g. of market share, rights); erosion; corrosion
to invade; to raid; to infringe; to encroach; to harm; to afflict