to eliminate	to get rid of, to remove
to address	to speak to
to pledge	to promise
to bid	to try, to attempt
to trounce	to defeat/ to beat heavily
to relish	to enjoy
to trawl	to search/ to look/ to read
to clutch	to hold
to resolve	to decide/ to ask
to shun	to ignore, to avoid/ to leave
to plead	to ask
to strive	to fight, to try hard
to shirk	to avoid (ex. one's duties)
to conceive	to imagine
to behold	to see sth unusual
a tipple	an alcoholic drink
purported	meant to be sth
lovelorn	unhappy because one's love is not returned
cumulative effect	when each event makes the effect even greater
dumbfounded	speechless with surprise or astonishment
crosswind	a wind from one side
breaker	a really large wave
brickbat	a rude remark
brinkmanship	taking things to very brink, foolhardiness, risking
chapped	dry and sore (of lips)
autumnal	like in autumn
to grasp	to understand