English IV Vocabulary 8

aberration

aberration

a departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from sound mental state

ad hoc

for this specific purpose; improvised; (adv.) with respect to this

bane

the source or cause of fatal injury, death, destruction, or ruin; death of ruin itself; poison

bathos

the intrusion of commonplace or trite material into a context whos tone is lofty or elevated; grossly insincere or exaggerated sentimentally; the lowest phase, nadir; an anticlimax, comedown

cantankerous

ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with

casuistry

the determination of right and wrong in question of conduct or conscience by the application of general ethical principals; specious argument

de facto

actually existing or in effect, although not legally required or sanctioned; (adv.) in reality, actually

depredation

the act of preying upon or plundering

empathy

a sympathetic understand of or identification with the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of someone or something else

harbinger

a forerunner, herald; (v.) to herald the approach of

hedonism

the belief that the attainment of pleasure is life’s chief aim; devotion to or pursuit of pleasure

lackluster

lacking brilliance or vitality; dull

malcontent

discontented with or in open defiance or prevailing conditions; (n.) such a person

mellifiuous

flowing sweetly or smoothly; honeyed

nepotism

undue favoritism to or excessive patronage of one’s relatives

pander

to cater to or provide satisfaction for the low tastes or vices of others; (n.) a person who does this

peccadillo

a minor sin or offense; a trifling fault or shortcoming

piece de resistance

the principal dish of a meal; the principal event, incident, or item; an outstanding accomplishment

remand

to send or order back; in law, to send back to jail or to a lower court

syndrome

a group of symptoms or signs that collectively characterize or indicate a disease, disorder, abnormality, etc