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