Alliance - in international politics, the union of two thieves who have their hands so deeply inserted in each other's pockets that they cannot separately plunder a third.
Ambrose BierceTABLE D'HOTE, n. A caterer's thrifty concession to the universal passion for irresponsibility.
Ambrose BiercePRESIDE, v. To guide the action of a deliberative body to a desirable result. In Journalese, to perform upon a musical instrument; as, "He presided at the piccolo."
Ambrose Bierce