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aberration (n) a departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal; a lapse from a sound mental state; deviation, anomaly, irregularity ad hoc (adj) for this specific purpose; improvised; makeshift (adv) with respect to this bane (n) the source or cause of fatal injury, death, destruction, or ruin; death or ruin itself; poison; spoiler, bete noire bathos (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 anticlimix, comedown; mawkishness, mush, schmaltz cantankerous (adj) ill-tempered, quarrelsome; difficult to get along or deal with; cranky, testy, peevish, irascible, ornery casuitry (n) the determination of right and wrong in questions of conduct or conscience by the application of general ethical principles; specious argument; sophistry, quibbling de facto (adj) actually existing or in effect, although not legally required or sanctioned; in actuality, in point of fact (adv) in reality, actually depradation (n) the act of prewing upon or plundering; looting, pillage, outrage empathy (n) a sympathetic understanding of or identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of someone or something else; sympathy, compassion harbinger (n) a forerunne, herald; precursor (v) to herald the approach of; presage hedonism (n) the belief that the attainment of pleasure is life's chief aim; devotion to or pursuit of pleasure; pleasure seeking, sensuality, sybaritism lackluster (adj) lacking brilliance or vitality; dull; vapid, insipid, drab, flat malcontent (adj) discontented with or in open defiance or prevailing conditions; dissatisfied, disgruntled (n) such a person; grumbler mellifluous (adj) flowing sweetly or amoothly; honeyed; euphorious, musical nepotism (n) 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; indulge (n) a person who does this; pimp, procurer peccadillo (n) a minor sin or offense; a trifling fault or shortcoming; indiscretion piece de resistance (n) the principal dish of a meal; the principal event, incident, or item; an outstanding accomplishment; centerpiece, chef d'oeuvre remand (v) to send or order back; in law, to send back to jail or to a lower court; remit, return syndrome (n) a group of symptoms or signs that collectively characterize or indicate a disease, disorder, abnormality, etc.; complex, pattern