shallow playboy; frivolous lad; good-time Charlie
quick-witted; bright; rapid thinking
clique; group; (political) faction; wing; school; sect
comparatively; relatively; unexpectedly; unusually; considering; for one's ...
opening credits; title sequence; theme song (played during the opening credits of a TV show, etc.); overprint
(it) goes without saying; needn't be said; that should rather be left unsaid
emergency; extraordinary; unusual
how many people; a number of people
sleek; smooth; thin (of a liquid); without hesitation or delay
to dodge; to evade; to avoid; to sidestep
another school; other schools
region; limits; stage; level
close (e.g. friend); familiar; familiar (e.g. story); well-known (to one); close (relatives); closely related
certain; sure; doubtless; I have no doubt; You can depend on it; It's a safe bet
independent action; acting alone
to crowd; to flock; to swarm
lone wolf; loner; self-reliant person
position; situation; viewpoint; standpoint; point of view
being concerned about or mindful of
expectation; anticipation; prediction; forecast; conjecture
for better or worse; for good and bad; regardless of merit; both good and bad
road; path; route; way; distance; journey; road (e.g. to victory)
able; capable; competent; talented; efficient
to save; to rescue; to help; to assist; to support (financially); to contribute (to)
nature; property; disposition
to guide; to lead; to show the way; to derive; to deduce
suggestion; hint; implication
to give (esp. to someone of lower status); to bestow; to provide; to afford; to assign; to cause
essence; true nature; substance; reality
to prick; to stab; to poke; to prod; to use (a cane); to prop oneself up with
story; tale; legend; plot; storyline
to tighten; to stiffen; to brace; to strain
part; assigning (allotment of) parts; role; duties
independent (esp. in politics); non-partisan
independence; self-reliance; independence (e.g. of a nation); freedom; separation; isolation
in spite of; nevertheless; although; despite; no matter the; regardless of
to take off one's hat to a person; to acknowledge another's superiority
sometimes; at intervals; occasionally; on occasion; from time to time
pointing out; identification
to lend an ear; to hearken; to give an ear to; to listen carefully
influence; clout; leverage