Quotes from book
The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary
Ambrose Bierce

The Devil's Dictionary is a satirical dictionary written by American Civil War soldier, journalist, and writer Ambrose Bierce consisting of common words followed by humorous and satirical definitions. The lexicon was written over three decades as a series of installments for magazines and newspapers. Bierce's witty definitions were imitated and plagiarized for years before he gathered them into books, first as The Cynic's Word Book in 1906 and then in a more complete version as The Devil's Dictionary in 1911.

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“Justice, n. A commodity which in a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Sabbath, n. A weekly festival having its origin in the fact that God made the world in six days and was arrested on the seventh.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Edible, adj.: Good to eat, and wholesome to digest, as a worm to a toad, a toad to a snake, a snake to a pig, a pig to a man, and a man to a worm.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Past, n. That part of Eternity with some small fraction of which we have a slight and regrettable acquaintance. A moving line called the Present parts it from an imaginary period known as the Future. These two grand divisions of Eternity, of which the one is continually effacing the other, are entirely unlike. The one is dark with sorrow and disappointment, the other bright with prosperity and joy. The Past is the region of sobs, the Future is the realm of song. In the one crouches Memory, clad in sackcloth and ashes, mumbling penitential prayer; in the sunshine of the other Hope flies with a free wing, beckoning to temples of success and bowers of ease. Yet the Past is the Future of yesterday, the Future is the Past of to-morrow. They are one--the knowledge and the dream.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“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 book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Ambition, n. An overmastering desire to be vilified by enemies while living and made ridiculous by friends when dead.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Congratulation, n. The civility of envy.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Land, n. A part of the earth's surface, considered as property. The theory that land is property subject to private ownership and control is the foundation of modern society, and is eminently worthy of the superstructure. Carried to its logical conclusion, it means that some have the right to prevent others from living; for the right to own implies the right exclusively to occupy; and in fact laws of trespass are enacted wherever property in land is recognized. It follows that if the whole area of terra firma is owned by A, B and C, there will be no place for D, E, F and G to be born, or, born as trespassers, to exist.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Infancy, n. The period of our lives when, according to Wordsworth, 'Heaven lies about us.' The world begins lying about us pretty soon afterward.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Advice, n. The smallest current coin.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Freebooter, n. A conqueror in a small way of business, whose annexations lack of the sanctifying merit of magnitude.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Accordion, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Absent, adj. Peculiarly exposed to the tooth of detraction; vilifed; hopelessly in the wrong; superseded in the consideration and affection of another.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Insurrection, n. An unsuccessful revolution. Disaffection's failure to substitute misrule for bad government.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Zeal, n. A certain nervous disorder afflicting the young and inexperienced. A passion that goeth before a sprawl.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Helpmate, n. A wife, or bitter half.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Resign, v. To renounce an honor for an advantage. To renounce an advantage for a greater advantage.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“To men a man is but a mind. Who cares
What face he carries or what form he wears?
But woman's body is the woman. O,
Stay thou, my sweetheart, and do never go,
But heed the warning words the sage hath said:
A woman absent is a woman dead.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)

Ambrose Bierce photo

“Electricity, n. The cause of all natural phenomena not known to be caused by something else. It is the same thing as lightning, and its famous attempt to strike Dr. Franklin is one of the most picturesque incidents in that great and good man's career.”

Ambrose Bierce book The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary (1911)