Exploring Vocabulary: Aberration, Ad Hoc, Bane, and More

1. Vocab Unit 8 Accel 12

2. Aberration (noun) • Departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from a sound mental state • S: deviation, irregularity • In an aberration of judgment, the coach chose not to call a critical time-out. • Memory Trick: make an error

3. Ad Hoc (Adjective/adverb) • Adj: For this specific purpose; improvised • Adv: with respect to this • S: makeshift • A: permanent, long-standing • An ad hoc committee was formed immediately. • We met, ad hoc, to consider the issue. • Memory Trick: add to something on the spot

4. Bane (Noun) • The source or cause of fatal injury, death, destruction, or ruin; death or ruin itself; poison • S: spoiler • A: blessing, comfort, solace • Rain, the bane of picnics, was forecast for the day we had scheduled ours. • Memory Trick: Bane from Batman Dark Knight Rises Bane sounds like pain

5. Bathos (Noun) • The intrusion of commonplace or trite material into a context whose tone is lofty or elevated; grossly insincere or exaggerated sentimentality; the lowest phase; an anticlimax, comedown • S: mawkishness, mush • After wallowing in bathos, the writer returned to her novel in earnest. • Memory Trick: Pathos appeals to emotion

6. Cantankerous (Adjective) • Ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with • S: cranky, testy, peevish, ornery • A: good-natured, sweet-tempered, genial • The cantankerous machine befuddled the team of technicians assigned to repair it. • Memory Trick: sounds like cranky

7. Casuistry (Noun) • The determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by the application of general ethical principles • The use of clever but unsound reasoning, especially in relation to moral questions • S: quibbling • The professor’s ideas, once highly regarded, now appear to be nothing more than ingenious casuistry. • Memory Trick: casually talk about moral dilemmas

8. De Facto (adjective/adverb) • Adj: actually existing or in effect, although not legally required or sanctioned • Adv: in reality, actually • S: in actuality, point of fact • A: by right, de jure • The dictator’s wife is the de facto head of state. • It appears that, de facto, the information is true. • Memory Trick: it is a fact

9. Depredation (Noun) • The act of preying upon or plundering • S: looting, outrage • The depredation of the invaders left scars that will take years to heal. • Memory Trick: once something or someone plunders, you are deprived of what you had

10. Empathy (Noun) • A sympathetic understanding or identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of someone or something else • S: sympathy, compassion • A: insensitivity, callousness, detachment • The grandparents felt empathy for the aspirations of their grandchildren. • Memory Trick: you should know this one

11. Harbinger (Noun/verb) • Noun: a forerunner, herald • Verb: to herald the approach of • S: precursor, presage • A: aftermath, epilogue, sequel • Daffodils in bloom are a harbinger of spring. • Crocuses, too, harbinger the approach of spring. • Memory Trick: bring about change/new

12. Hedonism (Noun) • The belief that the attainment of pleasure is life’s chief aim; devotion to or pursuit of pleasure • S: pleasure seeking, sensuality • A: asceticism, puritanism • A beach bum’s mindless hedonism may appeal to all working people at one time or another. • Memory Trick: sounds like Heathen

13. Lackluster (adjective) • Lacking brilliance or vitality; dull • S: vapid, insipid, drab, flat • A: brilliant, radiant, dazzling • The weary soldier's lackluster stare haunted the photographer, who captured it with her lens. • Memory Trick: lacking luster or sparkle

14. Malcontent (Adjective/Noun) • Adj: discontented with or in open defiance of prevailing conditions • Noun: such a person • S: dissatisfied, disgruntled, grumbler • A: satisfied, contented, complacent • The malcontent transit workers went out on strike. • The angry mayor referred to the strikers as a group of vocal, lazy malcontents. • Memory Trick: mal=bad. Not content

15. Mellifluous (adjective) • Flowing sweetly or smoothly; honeyed • S: euphonious • A: strident, harsh, grating • The folk singer’s mellifluous voice appealed to young and old the world over. • Memory Trick: sound moves fluidly Melodious

16. Nepotism (Noun) • Undue favoritism to or excessive patronage of one’s relatives • To avoid any hint of nepotism, the owner of the team refused to hire any of his relatives. • Memory Trick: nephew

17. Pander (Verb/noun) • Verb: to cater to or provide satisfaction for the low tastes or vices of others • Noun: a person who does this • S: indulge • A: pimp, procurer • The hosts proceeded to pander to every whim of their delighted guests. • His brother was a pander who ran a cheap pool hall on the outskirts of town. • Memory Trick: serve up food in a pan

18. Peccadillo (Noun) • A minor sin or offense; a trifling fault or shortcoming • S: lapse • A: felony, mortal sin, atrocity • If you will overlook my peccadillos, I will ignore yours. • Memory Trick: peek into the criminal side

19. PiÈce de rÉsistance (Noun) • The principal dish of a meal; the principal event, incident, or item; an outstanding accomplishment • S: centerpiece • A: preliminary • The piece de resistance of the remarkable repast was the dessert, a ten-tiered cake adorned with spun sugar. • “…Taylor’s pièce de résistance, a snare-drum heavy cover of Surfaris’ ‘Wipe Out.’” • Memory Trick: Fancy language is center of attention. Can’t resist

20. Remand (verb) • To send or order back; in law, to send back to jail or to a lower court • S: remit, return • A: forward to, send on, release • The outlaw was remanded to the custody of the sheriff. • Memory Trick: prefix “re” means go back or again. Go back to jail

21. Syndrome (noun) • A group of symptoms or signs that collectively characterizes or indicates a disease, disorder, abnormality, etc. • S: complex, pattern • With ubiquitous computer use, carpal tunnel has become a decidedly modern syndrome. • Memory Trick: syndrome sounds like symptom