to retreat; to withdraw; to deduct
small; little; slightly less than; just about; somewhat; somehow
laconic; of few words; reticent; quiet
overthrow; defeat; bringing down; knockdown
to take (someone) by surprise; to do something unexpected
greatness is comparative; there is always someone better than you; there is always a bigger fish
subject; theme; homework; assignment; problem (that needs solving); task
inferiority (e.g. numerical); inferior position; disadvantage; unfavorable situation; unfavourable situation
breaking down; defeating; abolishing
inscrutable stratagem; ingenious scheme
to take offense (at); to take offence (at); to feel hurt (by)
to hunt out; to flush out; to round up; to impress; to recruit
period (of life) when one is enjoying more romantic attention than usual
one-sided; unilateral; arbitrary
loss of fighting spirit; losing the will to fight
to face each other; to be opposite (to)
across; over; beyond; throughout (a period of time); for
to flip; to snap; to repel; to use (an abacus); to calculate; to strum
without trouble; easily; readily
bizarre plan; perplexing strategy; outlandish scheme
stickiness; viscosity; tenacity; persistence
towering; astonishingly high
vindication of honour; vindication of honor; making up for loss; revenge
to show appreciation for (efforts, esp. by someone of equal or lower status); to thank for; to reward for
support; backing; patronage
unconsciously; without knowing it; unwittingly; unawares
to comb out; to brush; to untangle; to unravel
hard; solid; stiff; tight; strong; firm (not viscous or easily moved); safe
attack; offence; top (dominant partner of a homosexual relationship); barrage (of); flood (of)
subsidence; sinking; fall (of a city, fortress, etc.); surrender; fall (in position, rank, etc.); demotion
to go to ruin; to go under; to fall; to be destroyed; to die out; to become extinct
reform measures; improvement plan; remedial measures
to rush into; to surge into; to crowd into
ignominious defeat; crushing failure; utterly beaten; overwhelming defeat
disastrous; tragic; miserable; wretched; pitiful; woeful
to mark the end; to spell the end
opening (in a game of go, chess, etc.); early stages; initial phase; outset
as (X, then Y); with; in accordance with; in proportion to
to make muddy (of a liquid); to make cloudy; to make turbid; to make ambiguous; to evade (e.g. the point); to be noncommittal about
head-on; to one's face; squarely; directly; flatly (e.g. refuse)
personal; individual; private
lack; absence; shortage; deficiency; privation