Ambrose Bierce Quotes - Page 19

• applause, n. The echo of a platitude.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Echoes, Applause, Platitudes

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

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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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• 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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• PROVIDENTIAL, adj. Unexpectedly and conspicuously beneficial to the person so describing it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Unexpected, Persons, Beneficial

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.172, 谷月社

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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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• 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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• 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

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• Christian - One who follows the teachings of Christ insofar as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, God, Christian

  Ambrose Bierce (2007). “Essential Bierce: A Selection of the Writings of Ambrose Bierce”, Heyday Books

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• MERCY, n. An attribute beloved of detected offenders.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Love, Mercy, Attributes

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.164, University of Georgia Press

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• GENEROUS, adj. Originally this word meant noble by birth and was rightly applied to a great multitude of persons. It now means noble by nature and is taking a bit of a rest.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Mean, Generosity, Noble

  Ambrose Bierce (2001). “The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary”, p.94, University of Georgia Press

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• VIRTUES, n.pl. Certain abstentions.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Virtue, Certain, Certainty

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.230, 谷月社

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• LUMINARY, One who throws light upon a subject; as an editor by not writing about it.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Writing, Light, Editors

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.133, 谷月社

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• Adolescence: A stage between infancy and adultery.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Inspirational, Teenage, Adultery

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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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• 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

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• 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

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• EAT, v.i. To perform successively (and successfully) the functions of mastication, humectation, and deglutition. 'I was in the drawing-room, enjoying my dinner,' said Brillat-Savarin, beginning an anecdote. 'What!' interrupted Rochebriant; 'eating dinner in a drawing-room?' 'I must beg you to observe, monsieur,' explained the great gastronome, 'that I did not say I was eating my dinner, but enjoying it. I had dined an hour before.'

  Ambrose Bierce

  Food, Drawing, Cooking

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

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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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• 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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• CENTAUR, n. One of a race of persons who lived before the division of labor had been carried to such a pitch of differentiation, and who followed the primitive economic maxim, "Every man his own horse."

  Ambrose Bierce

  Life, Horse, Men

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

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• Genius - to know without having learned; to draw just conclusions from unknown premises; to discern the soul of things.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Soul, Genius, Conclusion

  Ambrose Bierce (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ambrose Bierce (Illustrated)”, p.1216, Delphi Classics

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• MUMMY, n. - an ancient Egyptian handy, too, in museums in gratifying the vulgar curiosity that serves to distinguish man from the lower animals.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Men, Animal, Museums

  Ambrose Bierce (2016). “The Devil's Dictionary: The Devil World”, p.148, 谷月社

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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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• 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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• NOTORIETY, n. The fame of one's competitor for public honors. The kind of renown most accessible and acceptable to mediocrity. A Jacob's-ladder leading to the vaudeville stage, with angels ascending and descending.

  Ambrose Bierce

  Leadership, Kindness, Angel

  Ambrose Bierce (2012). “The Devil's Dictionary”, p.85, Courier Corporation

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