Vocabulary #7

aberration - (noun) an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image; a disorder in one's mental state; a state or condition markedly different from the norm

• An aberration in his thought process restricts him from being normal.

Ad hoc- (adverb) for the special purpose or end presently under consideration

• After a tornado swept through the school, an ad hoc group of parents was formed to assist in the repairs.

bane - (noun) something causes misery or death

•  The death of his loved ones caused the city to experience the murderer's bane.

bathos - (noun) triteness or triviality of style; a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one; insincere pathos

•  The bathos in the novice story written by the college English major made me want to kill myself.

cantankerous - (adj.) having a difficult and contrary disposition; stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate

• His cantankerous attitude destroyed the hope of making a team.

casuistry - (noun) moral philosophy based on the application of general ethical principles to resolve moral dilemmas; argumentation that is specious or excessively subtle and intended to be misleading

•  However, I'm not convinced of such casuistry because I'm not convinced that self-regard and egocentrism are exactly the same thing.

de facto - (noun) in fact; in reality

•  Whales are ocean mammals, de facto they are the largest mammals.

depredation - (noun) an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding; (usually plural) a destructive action

•  The depredation of dinosaurs was tragic.

empathy - (noun) understanding and entering into another's feelings

• I feel empathy for other Asians who want to get into UCs.

harbinger - (noun) an indication of the approach of something or someone; verb foreshadow or presage

•  The harbinger of my death was apparent through the mafia wielding guns.

hedonism - (noun) an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good; the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle

•  Hedonism is a central part of our Declaration of Independence.

lackluster - (adj.) lacking luster or shine; lacking brilliance or vitality

•  His lackluster attitude never achieved much in his lifetime.

malcontent - (adj.) discontented as toward authority; noun a person who is discontented or disgusted

•  A lot of young Americans are malcontent that marijuana is not legal.

mellifluous - (adj.) pleasing to the ear

• The ambiance of Shlohmo is mellifluous. 

nepotism - noun favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs)

•  Often times in corrupt government, mepotism is a large component.

pander - (noun) someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce); verb arrange for sexual partners for others; yield (to); give satisfaction to

• The pander was shunned upon in society.

peccadillo - (noun) a petty misdeed

• The peccadillo was not grave enough to put him behind bars.

piece de resistance - (noun) the most noteworthy or prized feature, aspect, event, article, etc., of a series or group; special item or attraction.

•  The piece de resistance that we received from the company showed our excellence.

remand - (noun) the act of sending an accused person back into custody to await trial (or the continuation of the trial); verb refer (a matter or legal case) to another committee or authority or court for decision; lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

• I was remanded for there was controversy over the crime I committed.

syndrome - (noun) a complex of concurrent things; a pattern of symptoms indicative of some disease

• Down syndrome is a terrible disease that has only the parent to blame.