breaking point
(问题难以遏制的)顶点,极限；断点:
to be at / to reach breaking point
处于/达到极限
to be stretched to breaking point
已撑至极限

a stockpile of
囤聚的物资:
People are afraid that the world's stockpile of nuclear weapons will begin a war.
人们担心全世界的核武器储备引发战争。

indication (of sth / of doing sth) | ~ (that...)
表明；标示；显示；象征:
They gave no indication of how the work should be done.
他们根本没说明这项工作该怎样做。

cross purpose
(由于谈论或针对不同事情而未意识到的)相互不理解,相互误解:
I think we're talking at cross purposes; that's not what I meant at all.
我想我们是说到两下里去了,我根本不是那个意思。

oil the wheels
grease the wheels
(尤指在商业上或政治上)起促进作用

sb's persistence
坚持；锲而不舍:
His persistence was finally rewarded when the insurance company agreed to pay for the damage.
保险公司同意赔偿损失,他的坚持不懈终于得到了回报。