to seize	to grasp
to detract	to make sth seem less enjoyable, to deprieve
to prevail	to dominate, to defeat sb
to sway sb's opinion	to cause sb to change mind
reluctant	unwilling, not eager
to attain	to achieve
to alienate	to cause sb to become disloyal
to estrange	to cause sb to become separate
misgivings	reservations, doubts
to appal	to fill with horror, shock
to sour	to become unfriendly or unfavourable
reminiscent	reminding of sth
mindful	attentive
to wear on	to pass tediously
to draw on	to approach
to be wary of sth	to be circumspect, cautious
to be weary of sth	to be exhausted
tentative	done without confidence/ not definite or certain
to strain	to try really hard
to be hell-bent on	to be very determined to do sth
to revolve	to move around like a wheel/ to have sth as a main subject or purpose
to refine	to make sth pure
galling	annoying, humiliating
to incline	to show a tendency
ample	more than enough
handling of sth	the way you deal with the problem
to reckon	to think/ to count
utter	complete
supreme	the very best
to disallow	not to accept
to ensue	to follow
to bear sth in mind	to keep sth in mind
intelligible	that can be understood
prowess	outstanding skill, expertise
a mixed blessing	sth partially positive and partially negative
to grant	to give