| A | B |
|---|
| aberration | a departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from a sound mental state |
| ad hoc | (adj) for this specific purpose; improvised (adv) with respect to this |
| bane | the source or cause of fatal injury, death, destruction, or ruin; death or ruin itself; poison |
| bathos | 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 |
| cantankerous | ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with |
| casuistry | the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by the application of general ethical principles; specious arguement |
| de facto | (adj) 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 understanding of or identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of someone or something else |
| harbinger | (n) 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 persuit of pleasure |
| lackluster | lacking brilliance or vitality; dull |
| malcontent | (adj) discontented with or in open defiance of prevailing conditions; (n) such a person |
| mellifluous | flowing sweetly or smoothly; honeyed |
| nepotism | undue favoritism to or excessive patronage of one's relatives |
| pander | (v) 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. |
