Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 18

• 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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• GRAVE, n. A place in which the dead are laid to await the coming of the medical student.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Science, Students, Medical

  The Devil's Dictionary

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• Opportunity: A favorable occasion for grasping a disappointment.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Disappointment, Opportunity, Grasping

  Ambrose Bierce (2004). “The Devil's Dictionaries: The Best of the Devil's Dictionary and the American Heretic's Dictionary”, p.34, See Sharp Press

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• Respectability, n. The offspring of a liaison between a bald head and a bank account.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Bank Accounts, Liaison, Offspring

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.183, 谷月社

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• Intolerance is natural and logical, for in every dissenting opinion lies an assumption of superior wisdom.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Lying, Opinion, Assumption

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.1223, Delphi Classics

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• A bad workman quarrels with the man who calls him that.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Men, He Man, Incompetence

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.114, Courier Corporation

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• Glutton- A person who escapes the evils of moderation by committing dyspepsia.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Food, Evil, Moderation

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.77, 谷月社

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• IMBECILITY, n. A kind of divine inspiration, or sacred fire affecting censorious critics of this dictionary.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Inspiration, Fire, Divinity

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

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• Appetite, n. An instinct thoughtfully implanted by Providence as a solution to the labor question.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Hunger, Instinct, Appetite

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.16, University of Georgia Press

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• PLEBEIAN, n. An ancient Roman who in the blood of his country stained nothing but his hands. Distinguished from the Patrician, who was a saturated solution.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Country, Blood, Hands

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

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• RITE, n. A religious or semi-religious ceremony fixed by law, precept or custom, with the essential oil of sincerity carefully squeezed out of it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Religious, Oil, Law

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.203, University of Georgia Press

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• That part of your friend which it is your privilege to contemplate in your adversity

  Ambrose Bierce

  Friendship, Adversity, Privilege

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.22, University of Georgia Press

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• An old wine-bibber having been smashed in a railway collision, some wine was poured on his lips to revive him.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Wine, Lips, Connoisseur

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.40, University of Georgia Press

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• ARENA, n. In politics, an imaginary rat-pit in which the statesman wrestles with his record.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Pits, Records, Politics

  Ambrose Bierce (2004). “The Devil's Dictionaries: The Best of the Devil's Dictionary and the American Heretic's Dictionary”, p.20, See Sharp Press

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• A malefactor who atones for making your writing nonsense by permitting the compositor to make it unintelligible.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Writing, Nonsense

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

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• DELEGATION, n. In American politics, an article of merchandise that comes in sets.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Politics, Delegation, Articles

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.43, 谷月社

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• GNOSTICS, n. A sect of philosophers who tried to engineer a fusion between the early Christians and the Platonists. The former would not go into the caucus and the combination failed, greatly to the chagrin of the fusion managers.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Christian, Failure, Fusion

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.97, University of Georgia Press

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• PERIPATETIC, adj. Walking about. Relating to the philosophy of Aristotle, who, while expounding it, moved from place to place in order to avoid his pupil's objections. A needless precaution - they knew no more of the matter than he.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Philosophy, Order, Matter

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.161, 谷月社

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• PHYSIOGNOMY, n. The art of determining the character of another by the resemblances and differences between his face and our own, which is the standard of excellence.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Art, Character, Differences

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

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• Road, n. A strip of land along which one may pass from where it is too tiresome to be to where it is futile to go.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Travel, Journey, Land

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.203, University of Georgia Press

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• MARTYR, One who moves along the line of least reluctance to a desired death.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Death, Moving, Lines

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.2460, Delphi Classics

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• FIDDLE, n. An instrument to tickle human ears by friction of a horse's tail on the entrails of a cat.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Horse, Cat, Tails

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.66, 谷月社

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• Inhumanity, n. One of the signal and characteristic qualities of humanity.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Humanity, Quality, Characteristics

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.130, University of Georgia Press

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• CERBERUS, n. The watch-dog of Hades, whose duty it was to guard the entrance - against whom or what does not clearly appear; everybody, sooner or later, had to go there, and nobody wanted to carry off the entrance.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Dog, Doe, Watches

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.29, 谷月社

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• A rabbit's foot may bring good luck to you, but it brought none to the rabbit.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Good Luck, Feet, Rabbits

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.1210, Delphi Classics

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