it's no joke; gimme a break!
deeply (stab, thrust, etc.); hard
to stick into; to pierce; to run into
by-product; spin-off; outgrowth; side effect
unflaggingly; steadily; untiringly; knocking; tapping; clicking
for a long time; since long ago; always; already; far in advance (e.g. reservation)
defense; defence; protection
title fight; championship match
most important condition (for); first prerequisite
form (as opposed to substance); formality; method; system; format; mode
present (e.g. government, administration); current; existing
holder (of a record, title, permit, etc.)
usurpation; taking back; dispossession
above-mentioned; above-named; above
server; (cake) server; (water) dispenser; server (tennis, volleyball, etc.)
retention; maintenance; preservation
highest peak; highest mountain; greatest authority; most prominent person; pinnacle (e.g. of art)
both in name and reality; both in name and substance
conquest; domination; mastery
throne; crown; government position; court rank; social standing; rank; grade (of quality, etc.)
to be sufficient; to be enough; to be worth doing; to be worthy of; to do (the job); to serve
to declare; to assert; to state definitively; to finish saying; to say it all; to finish one's sentence
standard; basis; criterion; norm; reference; datum
synthesis; coordination; putting together; comprehensive
rank; ranking order; hierarchy
clear; precise; definite; distinct
excitement; stimulation; agitation; arousal
to wedge one's way in; to push in (between); to step in (between); to interrupt (a conversation, quarrel, etc.); to intervene
to strain; to stretch; to string up; to cover over (e.g. with tiles, ice, etc.)
a matter of course; what is to be expected; par for the course
basis; foundation; grounds; authority
to enquire of someone about something (inquire); to question; to interrogate; to grill (someone about a matter); to question in detail
to be stumped; to be at a loss; to be at one's wits' end; to be fed up; to be tired (of); to be unable to bear
frivolous; flippant; superficial; shallow; trifling; insincere
point in question (at issue)
to shift; to slide (e.g. something away from something else); to move (e.g. something out of the way); to put off; to delay; to postpone
to roughen (e.g. one's attitude); to raise (one's voice)
any; anything; whatever; I am told; I hear; I understand
pardon me for leaving (first)