#devilsdictionary

2026-01-27

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

ABATTOIR, n. A place where cattle slaughter kine. It is commonly placed at some distance from the haunts of our species, in order that they who devour the flesh may not be shocked by the site of blood.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Abattoir,” “Demon’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco News Letter (1875-12-11)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/81667…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #abattoir #blood #butcher #carnivore #fastidiousness #meat #slaughterhouse #squeamishness #stockyard #cognitivedissonace

2026-01-20

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

INCORPORATION, n. The act of uniting several persons into one fiction called a corporation, in order that they may be no longer responsible for its actions. A, B and C are a corporation. A robs, B steals and C (it is necessary that there be one gentleman in the concern) cheats. It is a plundering, thieving, swindling corporation. But A, B and C, who have jointly determined and severally executed every crime of the corporation, are blameless. It is wrong to mention them by name when censuring their acts as a corporation, but right when praising.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Incorporation,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1885-10-03)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/81536…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #accountability #bigbusiness #blame #business #corporation #crime #criminality #incorporation #irresponsibility #legalfiction #liability #unaccountability

2026-01-06

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

OBLIVION, n. The state or condition in which the wicked cease from struggling and the dreary are at rest. Fame’s eternal dumping ground. Cold storage for high hopes. A place where ambitious authors meet their works without pride and their betters without envy. A dormitory without an alarm clock.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Oblivion,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/81216…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #author #death #disappointment #envy #eternalrest #fame #history #hope #humility #oblivion #pride #rest #restinpeace #time #writer #writing

2025-12-30

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

IMAGINATION, n. A warehouse of facts, with poet and liar in joint ownership.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Imagination,” The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/81085…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #creativity #deceit #imagination #liar #lying #poet #poetry #writing

2025-12-23

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

BOOK-LEARNING, n. The dunce’s derisive term for all knowledge that transcends his own impenitent ignorance.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Book-learning,” “Devil’s Dictionary” column, San Francisco Wasp (1881-05-14)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/80990…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #derision #sourgrapes #dolt #education #ignorance #knowledge #school #willfulignorance

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-12-16

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

TELEPHONE, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Telephone,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/80820…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #telephone #phone #distance

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-12-09

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

TRINITY, n. […] The Trinity is one of the most sublime mysteries of our holy religion. In rejecting it because it is incomprehensible, Unitarians betray their inadequate sense of theological fundamentals. In religion we believe only what we do not understand, except in the instance of an intelligible doctrine that contradicts an incomprehensible one. In that case we believe the former as a part of the latter.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Trinity,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/1056/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #belief #Christianity #doctrine #God #incomprehensibility #incomprehension #mystery #theology #trinity #understanding

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-12-02

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

TURKEY, n. A large bird whose flesh when eaten on certain religious anniversaries has the peculiar property of attesting piety and gratitude. Incidentally, it is pretty good eating.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Turkey,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/80542…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #feast #food #thanksgiving #turkey

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-11-18

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

SUCCESS, n. The one unpardonable sin against one’s fellows.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Success,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/80306…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #accomplishment #envy #jealousy #resentment #success #winning

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2025-11-11

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

SELFISH, adj. Devoid of consideration for the selfishness of others.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Selfish,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/1057/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #ego #inconsideration #selfabsorption #selfaggrandizement #selfcenteredness #selfishness

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-10-28

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

SELF-EVIDENT, adj. Evident to one’s self and to nobody else.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Self-Evident,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/1059/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #axiom #evidence #obviousness #selfevidence #takeforgranted #truism

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-10-21

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

SCRIPTURES, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Scriptures,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/1074/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #divineplan #faith #holiness #perspective #religion #religiousintolerance #revelation #sacredness #sanctity #scripture #writings

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-10-14

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

SAINT, n. A dead sinner, revised and edited.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
"Saint," The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/21902…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #canonization #mythmaking #revisionism #saint #sainthood #sinner

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-10-08

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

RUMOR, n. A favorite weapon of the assassins of character.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Rumor,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/1067/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #characterassassination #gossip #libel #rumor #slander

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-09-30

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

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

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Bait,” The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/41947…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #attractiveness #attraction #bait #battleofthesexes #beauty #trap

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2025-09-23

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

HISTORY, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“History,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/13455…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #history #humancondition #humanity #myth #rulers #soldiers

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-09-09

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

REVERENCE, n. The spiritual attitude of a man to a god and a dog to a man.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Reverence,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/1055/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #piety #obeisance #reverence #worship

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-09-02

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

RESOLUTE, adj. Obstinate in a course that we approve.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Resolute,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/1075/

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #approval #obstinate #perspective #resolute #stubborn

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-08-27

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

RELIGION, n. A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Religion,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

More info about this quote: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/24424…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #fear #God #hope #ignorance #ineffable #mystery #religion #unknowable

WIST Quotations Has Moved!wist@my-place.social
2025-08-19

A quotation from Ambrose Bierce

REGALIA, n. Distinguishing insignia, jewels and costume of such ancient and honorable orders as Knights of Adam; Visionaries of Detectable Bosh; the Ancient Order of Modern Troglodytes; the League of Holy Humbug; the Golden Phalanx of Phalangers; the Genteel Society of Expurgated Hoodlums; the Mystic Alliances of Georgeous Regalians; Knights and Ladies of the Yellow Dog; the Oriental Order of Sons of the West; the Blatherhood of Insufferable Stuff; Warriors of the Long Bow; Guardians of the Great Horn Spoon; the Band of Brutes; the Impenitent Order of Wife-Beaters; the Sublime Legion of Flamboyant Conspicuants; Worshipers at the Electroplated Shrine; Shining Inaccessibles; Fee-Faw-Fummers of the Inimitable Grip; Jannissaries of the Broad-Blown Peacock; Plumed Increscencies of the Magic Temple; the Grand Cabal of Able-Bodied Sedentarians; Associated Deities of the Butter Trade; the Garden of Galoots; the Affectionate Fraternity of Men Similarly Warted; the Flashing Astonishers; Ladies of Horror; Cooperative Association for Breaking into the Spotlight; Dukes of Eden; Disciples Militant of the Hidden Faith; Knights-Champions of the Domestic Dog; the Holy Gregarians; the Resolute Optimists; the Ancient Sodality of Inhospitable Hogs; Associated Sovereigns of Mendacity; Dukes-Guardian of the Mystic Cess-Pool; the Society for Prevention of Prevalence; Kings of Drink; Polite Federation of Gents-Consequential; the Mysterious Order of the Undecipherable Scroll; Uniformed Rank of Lousy Cats; Monarchs of Worth and Hunger; Sons of the South Star; Prelates of the Tub-and-Sword.

Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Regalia,” The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/bierce-ambrose/78485…

#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ambrosebierce #devilsdictionary #club #costume #insignia #organizations #regalia

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