Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 19

• BAIT, n. A preparation that renders the hook more palatable. The best kind is beauty.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Beauty, Kindness, Preparation

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2361, Delphi Classics

  9 Copy quote

• BATH, n. A kind of mystic ceremony substituted for religious worship, with what spiritual efficacy has not been determined.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Spiritual, Religious, Religion

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.18, 谷月社

  4 Copy quote

• EAT, v.i. To perform successively (and successfully) the functions of mastication, humectation, and deglutition.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Function, Humour

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2387, Delphi Classics

  4 Copy quote

• PREFERENCE, n. A sentiment, or frame of mind, induced by the erroneous belief that one thing is better than another.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Time, Mind, Belief

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.97, Courier Corporation

  9 Copy quote

• Experience - the wisdom that enables us to recognise in an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wisdom, Experience, Recognise You

  18 Copy quote

• DUEL, n. A formal ceremony preliminary to reconciliation of two enemies. Great skill is necessary to its satisfactory observance; if awkwardly performed . . . deplorable consequences sometimes ensue. A long time ago a man lost his life.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Time, Men

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.60, University of Georgia Press

  4 Copy quote

• RUIN, v. To destroy. Specifically, to destroy a maid's belief in the virtue of maids.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Maids, Ruins, Belief

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.110, Courier Corporation

  4 Copy quote

• RADIUM, n. A mineral that gives off heat and stimulates the organ that a scientist is a fool with.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Giving, Fool

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2492, Delphi Classics

  7 Copy quote

• ORTHOGRAPHY, n. The science of spelling by the eye instead of the ear.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Eye, Science, Ears

  Ambrose Bierce (1996). “Poems of Ambrose Bierce”, p.75, U of Nebraska Press

  5 Copy quote

• The creator and arbiter of beauty is the heart; to the male rattlesnake the female rattlesnake is the loveliest thing in nature.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Beauty, Heart, Males

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2691, Delphi Classics

  5 Copy quote

• adore, v.t. To venerate expectantly.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Adore

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.14, University of Georgia Press

  4 Copy quote

• POETRY, n. A form of expression peculiar to the Land beyond the Magazines.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Expression, Land, Poetry

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.166, 谷月社

  7 Copy quote

• A leech who, having penetrated the shell of a turtle only to find that the creature has long been dead, deems it expedient to form a new attachment to a fresh turtle.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Turtles, Attachment, Long

  Ambrose Bierce (2011). “Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary, Tales, and Memoirs: The Devil's Dictionary, Tales, and Memoirs”, p.572, Library of America

  37 Copy quote

• Insurrection. An unsuccessful revolution; disaffection's failure to substitute misrule for bad government.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Success, Failure, Government

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2436, Delphi Classics

  19 Copy quote

• PHRENOLOGY, n. The science of picking the pocket through the scalp. It consists in locating and exploiting the organ that one is a dupe with.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Pockets, Phrenology

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.181, University of Georgia Press

  67 Copy quote

• DECALOGUE, n. A series of commandments, ten in number - just enough to permit an intelligent selection for observance, but not enough to embarrass the choice.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Intelligent, Numbers, Justice

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.41, 谷月社

  4 Copy quote

• CONSOLATION, n. The knowledge that a better man is more unfortunate than yourself.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Knowledge, Men, Consolation

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.41, University of Georgia Press

  7 Copy quote

• Empty wine bottles have a bad opinion of women.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Food, Wine, Bottles

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2696, Delphi Classics

  4 Copy quote

• FORCE, n. "Force is but might," the teacher said p/ "That definition's just."/ The boy said naught but throught instead,/ Remembering his pounded head:/ "Force is not might but must!"

  Ambrose Bierce

  Teacher, Boys, Justice

  4 Copy quote

• renown, n. A degree of distinction between notoriety and fame - a little more supportable than the one and a little more intolerable than the other. Sometimes it is conferred by an unfriendly and inconsiderate hand.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hands, Littles, Degrees

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.181, 谷月社

  20 Copy quote

• IGNORAMUS, n. A person unacquainted with certain kinds of knowledge familiar to yourself, and having certain other kinds that you know nothing about.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Knowledge, Science, Kind

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.117, University of Georgia Press

  4 Copy quote

• Age - That period of life in which we compound for the vices that remain by reviling those we have no longer the vigor to commit.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Time, Age

  Ambrose Bierce (1906). “The Cynic's Word Book”, p.14, Lulu.com

  7 Copy quote

• OWE, v. To have (and to hold) a debt. The word formerly signified not indebtedness, but possession; it meant "own," and in the minds of debtors there is still a good deal of confusion between assets and liabilities.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Confusion, Confusing, Mind

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.177, University of Georgia Press

  17 Copy quote

• GUILLOTINE, n. A machine which makes a Frenchman shrug his shoulders with good reason.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Machines, Reason

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.81, 谷月社

  20 Copy quote

• pleasure, n. The least hateful form of dejection.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hateful, Pleasure, Form

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.165, 谷月社

  7 Copy quote

You May Also Like:

Edgar Allan Poe

Mark Twain

Stephen Crane

Algernon Blackwood

H. P. Lovecraft

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Arthur Machen

Sarah Orne Jewett