Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 25

• TECHNICALITY, n. In an English court a man named Home was tried for slander in having accused his neighbor of murder. His exact words were: "Sir Thomas Holt hath taken a cleaver and stricken his cook upon the head, so that one side of the head fell upon one shoulder and the other side upon the other shoulder." The defendant was acquitted by instruction of the court, the learned judges holding that the words did not charge murder, for they did not affirm the death of the cook, that being only an inference.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Taken, Home, Men

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2526, Delphi Classics

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• LAOCOON, n. A famous piece of antique scripture representing a priest of that name and his two sons in the folds of two enormous serpents. The skill and diligence with which the old man and lads support the serpents and keep them up to their work have been justly regarded as one of the noblest artistic illustrations of the mastery of human intelligence over brute inertia.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Son, Men, Illustration

  Ambrose Bierce (2009). “The Devil's Dictionary: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.163, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• ECCENTRICITY, n. A method of distinction so cheap that fools employ it to accentuate their incapacity.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Fool, Incapacity, Distinction

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.51, 谷月社

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• When you are ill make haste to forgive your enemies, for you may recover.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Forgiving, Enemy, Haste

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• PERFECTION, n. An imaginary state of quality distinguished from the actual by an element known as excellence; an attribute of the critic. The editor of an English magazine having received a letter pointing out the erroneous nature of his views and style, and signed "Perfection," promptly wrote at the foot of the letter: "I don't agree with you," and mailed it to Matthew Arnold.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Views, Editors, Feet

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.180, University of Georgia Press

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• REDRESS, n. Reparation without satisfaction.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Satisfaction, Redress, Reparations

  Ambrose Bierce (2004). “The Devil's Dictionaries: The Best of the Devil's Dictionary and the American Heretic's Dictionary”, p.40, See Sharp Press

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• Women and foxes, being weak, are distinguished by superior tact.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Foxes, Weak, Tact

  Ambrose Bierce (2015). “A Cynic Looks at Life”, p.38, Sheba Blake Publishing

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• WIDOW, n. A pathetic figure that the Christian world has agreed to take humorously, although Christ's tenderness towards widows was one of the most marked features of his character.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Christian, Character, Widows

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2540, Delphi Classics

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• art, n. This word has no definition.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Art, Definitions

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.14, 谷月社

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• applause, n. The echo of a platitude.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Echoes, Applause, Platitudes

  'The Cynic's Word Book' (1906) p. 19

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• prospect, n. An outlook, usually forbidding. An expectation, usually forbidden.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Expectations, Outlook, Forbidden

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.189, University of Georgia Press

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• adore, v.t. To venerate expectantly.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Adore

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

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• 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

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• predicament, n. The wage of consistency.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Consistency, Habit, Predicaments

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.96, Courier Corporation

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• adherent, n. A follower who has not yet obtained all that he expects to get.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Leadership, Followers

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.8, 谷月社

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• 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

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• mine, adj. Belonging to me if I can hold or seize it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Ifs, I Can, Mines

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.81, Courier Corporation

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• repose, v.i. To cease from troubling.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Repose, Cease

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.197, University of Georgia Press

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• CLOSE-FISTED, adj. Unduly desirous of keeping that which many meritorious persons wish to obtain.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wish, Persons

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.31, 谷月社

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• 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

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• DEBT, n. An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slave-driver. As, pent in an aquarium, the troutlet Swims round and round his tank to find an outlet, Pressing his nose against the glass that holds him, Nor ever sees the prison that enfolds him; So the poor debtor, seeing naught around him, Yet feels the narrow limits that impound him, Grieves at his debt and studies to evade it, And finds at last he might as well have paid it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Grieving, Glasses, Aquariums

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2379, Delphi Classics

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• Slang is the speech of him who robs the literary garbage carts on their way to the dumps.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Speech, Way, Garbage

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.1214, Delphi Classics

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• Every heart is the lair of a ferocious animal. The greatest wrong that you can put upon a man is to provoke him to let out his beast.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Heart, Animal, Men

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.1209, Delphi Classics

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• A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Marriage, Letting Go, Machines

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Collected Works of Ambrose Bierce, Volume 8 Epigrams, On With the Dance, Negligible Tales”, p.241, tredition

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• Coronation: The ceremony of investing a sovereign with the outward and visible signs of his divine right to be blown skyhigh with a dynamite bomb.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Divine Right, Bombs, Investing

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.36, 谷月社

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