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tending to – regularly looking after someone or something
- ground someone down – to exhaust and demoralise someone through relentless pressure
- siphon off – to dishonestly take money or resources over a period of time
- brush aside – to dismiss or ignore something serious
- prey on – to deliberately exploit someone who is vulnerable
- keep in check – to control or restrain someone
- cornered – feeling completely trapped with no way out
- knuckle under – to give in to pressure or authority
- brazenly – done in a shockingly bold and shameless way
- rumbled – to discover or see through someone’s dishonest behaviour