Vocab H8

Question 1

aberration

Answer 1

(n. ) a departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from a sound mental state
syn: anomaly

Question 2

ad hoc

Answer 2

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

Question 3

bane

Answer 3

(n. ) the source or cause of fatal injury, death, destruction, or ruin; death or ruin itself; poison
syn: bete noire

Question 4

bathos

Answer 4

(n.) the intrusion of commonplace or trite material into a context whose tone is lofty or elevated; grossly insincere or exaggerated sentimentality; the lowest phase, nadir; an anticlimax, comedown

Question 5

cantankerous

Answer 5

(adj. ) ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with
syn: irascible

Question 6

casuistry

Answer 6

(n.) the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by the application of general ethical principles; specious argument

Question 7

de facto

Answer 7

(adj. ) actually existing or in effect, although not legally required or sanctioned; (adv.) in reality, actually
syn: de jure

Question 8

depredation

Answer 8

(n.) the act of preying upon or plundering

Question 9

empathy

Answer 9

(n. ) a sympathetic understanding of or identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of someone or something else
syn: callousness

Question 10

harbinger

Answer 10

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

syn: (v.) presage

Question 11

hedonism

Answer 11

(n. ) the belief that the attainment of pleasure is life’s chief aim; devotion to or pursuit of pleasure
syn: sybaritism
ant: asceticism

Question 12

lackluster

Answer 12

(adj. ) lacking brilliance or vitality; dull

syn: vapid, insipid

Question 13

malcontent

Answer 13

(adj.) disconnected with or in open defiance of prevailing conditions; (n.) such a person

Question 14

mellifluous

Answer 14

(adj. ) flowing sweetly or smoothly; honeyed

syn: strident

Question 15

nepotism

Answer 15

(n.) undue favoritism to or excessive patronage of one’s relatives

Question 16

pander

Answer 16

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

Question 17

peccadillo

Answer 17

(n.) a minor sin or offense; a trifling fault or shortcoming

Question 18

pièce de résistance

Answer 18

(n.) the principal dish of a meal; the principal event, incident, or item; an outstanding accomplishment

Question 19

remand

Answer 19

(v.) to send or order back; in law, to send back to jail or to a lower court

Question 20

syndrome

Answer 20

(n. ) a group of symptoms or signs that collectively characterize or indicate a disease, disorder, abnormality, etc.
syn: ubiqitous