necessary evil

Something bad that must exist or occur in order for something good to happen. These days, student loans are a necessary evil in order to get an education that leads to a well-paying job. Some view dictators as a necessary evil who keep the region stable by suppressing more radical elements.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Salvatore	sahl-vah-TO-re	Italian
Clementina	kle-men-TEE-nah (Italian, Spanish), klə-mən-TEE-nə (Portuguese)	Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Wendelin	VEN-de-leen (German)	German, Dutch, Ancient Germanic
Lucia	['lu:sjə]
Alfwin	-	Ancient Germanic
Gu&Eth;RÚN	-	Ancient Scandinavian, Norse Mythology, Icelandic