| A | B |
|---|
| expediency | suitability for a given purpose (n) |
| esoteric | hard to understand; understood by only a select few; peculiar (adj) |
| ad hoc | for a particular purpose; only for the matter at hand (adj) |
| harbinger | a forerunner; a signal of (n) |
| prolific | abundantly productive or fruitful (adj) |
| fastidious | meticulous; demanding; finicky (adj) |
| ethereal | heavenly; as light & insubstantial as gas (adj) |
| conciliate | to win over; make friendly; join together (v) |
| acquiesce | to comply passively; to accept to assent; to agree (v) |
| cliche | an overused saying or idea (n) |
| egregious | extremely bad; flagrant (adj) |
| faux pas | an embarrassing social mistake |
| circuitous | roundabout; not following a direct path (adj) |
| recluse | one who is withdrawn form a group or from society; a hermit (n) |
| laissez-faire | a doctrine of noninterference by gov't in the economy; noninterference by higher powers in general (n or adj) |
| juxtapose | to place side by side (v) |
| temerity | boldness; recklessness; audacity (n) |
| sacrilege | a violation of something sacred; blasphemy (n) |
| firmament | the expanse of the heavens or of the sky (n) |
| cacophony | a harsh-sounding mixture of words, sounds, or voices (n) |
| metaphysics | a branch of philosophy that seeks to explain the nature of being & reality (n) |
