All Ambrose Bierce Quotes
- PREFERENCE, n. A sentiment, or frame of mind, induced by the erroneous belief that one thing is better than another. Belief
- POVERTY, n. A file provided for the teeth of the rats of reform. Its victims are distinguished by possession of all the virtues and by… All
- MALTHUSIAN, adj. Pertaining to Malthus and his doctrines, who believed in artificially limiting population, but found that it could not be done by talking. Herod… Adj Pertaining
- INFALAPSARIAN, n. One who ventures to believe that Adam need not have sinned unless he had a mind to - in opposition to the Supralapsarians,… Adam
- BEG, v. To ask for something with an earnestness proportioned to the belief that it will not be given. Ask
- LEGACY, n. A gift from one who is legging it out of this vale of tears. From
- HARMONISTS, n. A sect of Protestants, now extinct, who came from Europe in the beginning of the last century and were distinguished for the bitterness… Beginning
- AFFLICTION, n. An acclimatizing process preparing the soul for another and bitter world. Acclimatizing
- YESTERDAY, n. The infancy of youth, the youth of manhood, the entire past of age. Age
- I think love is the most unbelievable, and critical, thing in civilization. Everything else is very mechanical and predictable, but love, you can't catch it. Catch
- TRUCE, n. Friendship. Friendship
- EXPOSTULATION, n. One of the many methods by which fools prefer to lose their friends. Expostulation
- BEGGAR, n. One who has relied on the assistance of his friends. Assistance
- ANTIPATHY, n. The sentiment inspired by one's friend's friend. Antipathy
- KISS, n. A word invented by the poets as a rhyme for "bliss." It is supposed to signify, in a general way, some kind of… Appertaining
- Conversation, n.: A vocal competition in which the one who is catching his breath is called the listener. Breath
- Don't steal; thou'lt never thus compete successfully in business. Cheat. Business
- YOUTH, n. The Period of Possibility, when Archimedes finds a fulcrum, Cassandra has a following and seven cities compete for the honor of endowing a… Archimedes
- WOMAN, n. An animal usually living in the vicinity of Man, and having a rudimentary susceptibility to domestication. Animal
- UNDERSTANDING, n. A cerebral secretion that enables one having it to know a house from a horse by the roof on the house. Its nature… Been
- SIREN, n. One of several musical prodigies famous for a vain attempt to dissuade Odysseus from a life on the ocean wave. Figuratively, any lady… Any
- ROPE, n. An obsolescent appliance for reminding assassins that they too are mortal. It is put about the neck and remains in place one's whole… Appliance
- REDEMPTION, n. Deliverance of sinners from the penalty of their sin, through their murder of the deity against whom they sinned . . . .… Believeth
- RACK, n. An argumentative implement formerly much used in persuading devotees of a false faith to embrace the living truth. As a call to the… Any
- PILLORY, n. A mechanical device for inflicting personal distinction - prototype of the modern newspaper conducted by persons of austere virtues and blameless lives. Austere