| A | B |
|---|
| terra firma | stable ground |
| enfant terrible | one whose inopportune remarks or unconventional actions cause embarrassment |
| ex libris | from the books; book plate |
| tabula rasa | the mind onits hypothetical primary or blank or empty state; |
| faux pas | blunder; especially a social blunder |
| tete-a-tete | literally, head to head, in private |
| touche' | used to acknowledge a hit in fencing or the success of an argument or witty point |
| raison d'etre | reason or justification for existence |
| vis-a-vis | face to face |
| via | by way of |
| carte blance | (blank document) full discretionary power |
| coup d' etat | the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing governmentn of an existing governmetn |
| coup de grace | decisive or finishing blow |
| modus operandi | a method of procedure |
| laissez faire | non intervention of government in business |
| habeas corpus | (you should have the body) the right of a citizen to obtain a writ of habeas corpus as a protection against illegal imprisonment |
| savior faire | capacity appropreate for the action; a polished sureness in social behavior |
| cum laude | with distinction |
| magna cum laude | with great distinction |
| summa cum laude | with hightes distinction |
