-Debray was defending himself like a man who asks nothing better than to be defeated. {Alexandre Dumas, the Count of Monte Cristo} (An artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy/ a cleverly contrived trick or scheme for gaining an end/not his best defence/a stratagem/ trick/ ruse/ ploy/ wile/ feint/ device/ scheme/ expedient/ manoeuvre/ tactic/ gambit/ line/ bag of tricks= a set of ingenious plans {Oxford Dictionary})
~ The police know a self-serving statement when they hear one. {Investigation Discovery} (Serving one's own selfish …show more content…
(Major effort/ labour of Hercules= According to Greek mythology, Eurystheus required Hercules to accomplish a sequence of apparently impossible tasks- the labours of Hercules/ test of strength/ piece of work/ struggle/ strain/ superhuman, colossal, enormous, phenomenal, staggering, extraordinary, huge, great or titanic task) {Du Bois}
~ I have been a typical American, regarding my country as the happy hunting-ground of enlightened self-interest, as a function of my desires. Whether or not I have completely got rid of this romantic virus I must leave to those the aim of whose existence is to eradicate it from our literature and our life. A somewhat Augean task! {American Winston Churchill, a Far Country} (Exceedingly filthy from long neglect/ requiring heroic efforts of cleaning or correction {Farlex}/extremely formidable or difficult and occasionally distasteful {Merriam Webster}/resembling the Augean stables in filthiness or degradation/ difficult and unpleasant …show more content…
(Showing initiative and willingness to undertake new projects {Farlex}/ innovative/ inventive / imaginative / resourceful / adventurous / ingenious / intrepid / original / go-ahead / bold/ take the initiative to (do something)).
~ The enterprising children opened a lemonade stand. {Farlex}
-It doesn’t put him at the scene of the crime at the commission of the crime. {Investigation Discovery, TV Series} (The act of committing or perpetrating/the act of granting certain powers or the authority to carry out a particular task or duty {Farlex} commanded/ instructed/ contracted/ warranted/ ordered/ hired/ ordered/ appointed/ authorised/ assigned/ perpetrator/ criminal/ agent)
~ … using a firearm in the commission of a felony {I.D}
~ As I looked at the pictures, I suddenly saw the individual commissioned in the crime.
-I was taken to task for failing to notify the police of the break-in. (reprimand or criticise someone/take to task/ scold/ reprimand/ call to account/ blame/ censure/ recriminate/ reproach/ reprove/ rebuke/ criticize/ lecture/ upbraid/ chide/