Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 18

• OPERA, n. A play representing life in another world, whose inhabitants have no speech but song, no motions but gestures and no postures but attitudes.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Song, Attitude

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.174, University of Georgia Press

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• Finance is the art or science of managing revenues and resources for the best advantage of the manager

  Ambrose Bierce

  Art, Finance, Advantage

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.81, University of Georgia Press

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• HURRICANE, n. An atmospheric demonstration once very common but now generally abandoned for the tornado and cyclone. The hurricane is still in popular use in the West Indies and is preferred by certain old- fashioned sea-captains.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, West Indies, Sea

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Super Large 18pt Edition”, p.147, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• CALLOUS, adj. Gifted with great fortitude to bear the evils afflicting another. When Zeno was told that one of his enemies was no more he was observed to be deeply moved. "What!" said one of his disciples, "you weep at the death of an enemy?" "Ah, 'tis true," replied the great Stoic; "but you should see me smile at the death of a friend.".

  Ambrose Bierce

  Evil, Death Of A Friend, Enemy

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.31, University of Georgia Press

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• INFALAPSARIAN, n. One who ventures to believe that Adam need not have sinned unless he had a mind to - in opposition to the Supralapsarians, who hold that that luckless person's fall was decreed from the beginning.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Believe, Fall, Mind

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.143, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• RACK, n. An argumentative implement formerly much used in persuading devotees of a false faith to embrace the living truth. As a call to the unconverted the rack never had any particular efficacy, and is now held in light popular esteem.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Truth, Light

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.192, University of Georgia Press

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• To apologize is to lay the foundation for a future offense.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Future, Apology, Foundation

  Ambrose Bierce (1911). “The collected works”

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• WOMAN, n. An animal usually living in the vicinity of Man, and having a rudimentary susceptibility to domestication.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Women, Animal

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.239, University of Georgia Press

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• Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him. In the code of military etiquette silence and fixity are forms of deference

  Ambrose Bierce

  Military, Silence, Form

  Ambrose Bierce (2015). “Tales of Soldiers and Civilians”, p.11, Ambrose Bierce

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• JESTER, n. An officer attached to the king's household to amuse the court by ludicrous actions and utterances . . . the king's own conduct and decrees [being] sufficiently ridiculous for the amusement not only of his court but of all mankind.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Kings, Utterance, Amusement

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• PROOF, n. Evidence having a shade more of plausibility than of unlikelihood. The testimony of two credible witnesses as opposed to that of only one.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Two, Shade

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.238, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• EXPOSTULATION, n. One of the many methods by which fools prefer to lose their friends.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Friendship, Fool, Method

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.61, 谷月社

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• Brain, v. [as in "to brain"]: To rebuke bluntly, but not pointedly; to dispel a source of error in an opponent.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Errors, Brain, Opponents

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• Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Inspirational, Faith, Atheist

  The Devil's Dictionary

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• NECTAR, n. A drink served at banquets of the Olympian deities. The secret of its preparation is lost, but the modern Kentuckians believe that they come pretty near to a knowledge of its chief ingredient.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Believe, Preparation, Secret

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.84, Courier Corporation

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• ABNORMAL, adj. Not conforming to standard. In matters of thought and conduct, to be independent is to be abnormal, to be abnormal is to be detested. Wherefore the lexicographer adviseth a striving toward the straiter [sic] resemblance of the Average Man than he hath to himself. Whoso attaineth thereto shall have peace, the prospect of death and the hope of Hell.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Independent, Men, Average

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.3, 谷月社

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• Doubt, indulged and cherished, is in danger of becoming denial; but if honest, and bent on thorough investigation, it may soon lead to full establishment of the truth.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Doubt, Denial, May

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• INCOMPATIBILITY, n. In matrimony a similarity of tastes, particularly the taste for domination. Incompatibility may, however, consist of a meek-eyed matron living just around the corner. It has even been known to wear a moustache.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Justice, May

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.125, University of Georgia Press

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• SCARABAEUS, n. The sacred beetle of the ancient Egyptians, allied to our familiar "tumble-bug." It was supposed to symbolize immortality, the fact that God knew why giving it its peculiar sanctity. Its habit of incubating its eggs in a ball of ordure may also have commended it to the favor of the priesthood, and may some day assure it an equal reverence among ourselves. True, the American beetle is an inferior beetle, but the American priest is an inferior priest.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Eggs, Giving, Sacred

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Super Large 18pt Edition”, p.328, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• RADICALISM, n. The conservatism of to-morrow injected into the affairs of to-day.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Radicalism, Affair, Morrow

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.176, 谷月社

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• Laziness. Unwarranted repose of manner in a person of low degree.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Funny, Sloth, Degrees

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.69, Courier Corporation

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• A man who piously shuts himself up to meditate upon the sin of wickedness and to keep it fresh in his mind joins a brotherhood of awful examples.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Men, Brotherhood, Mind

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.32, 谷月社

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• Hope is desire and expectation rolled into one.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hope, Expectations, Hopeful

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.92, 谷月社

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• FEMALE, n. One of the opposing, or unfair, sex.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Sex, Science, Female

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.82, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• ASPERSE, v.t. Maliciously to ascribe to another vicious actions which one has not had the temptation and opportunity to commit.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Opportunity, Temptation, Action

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.15, 谷月社

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