--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather…" description: "\"“Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather, an Assassin. The capital letter was important. It separated those curs who went around murdering people for m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/terry-pratchett-19_life_lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an_2074564.jpg" --- # Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather, an Assassin. The… ![“Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather, an Assassin. The capital letter was important. It separated those curs who went around murdering people for money from the gentlemen who were occasionally consulted by other gentlemen who wished to have removed, for a consideration, any inconvenient…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/terry-pratchett-19_life_lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an_2074564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/terry-pratchett-19_life_lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an_2074564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/terry-pratchett-19_life_lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an_2074564.jpg) > ““Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather, an Assassin. The capital letter was important. It separated those curs who went around murdering people for money from the gentlemen who were occasionally consulted by other gentlemen who wished to have removed, for a consideration, any inconvenient razorblades from the candyfloss of life.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Capitalizing “Assassin” distinguishes professional killers from genteel, contract‑based ones, highlighting social nuance. **In simple terms:** Capital letters signal social status. Key Takeaway Notice subtle language cues. Themes language social hierarchy humor Mood witty critical Type satirical observational When to use this quote - reading literature - writing satire - character analysis Key Concepts capitalization class distinction irony Questions to Reflect On - What does capitalizing a word change in perception? - How does humor reveal social structures? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on nuance may obscure broader themes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassin/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“The Arrangement was very simple, so simple in fact that it didn’t really deserve the capital letter, which it had got for simply being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-arrangement-was-very-simple-so-simple-in-fact-that-it-didn-t/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Peasants seldom write letters, and for my father the arrival of a letter was an important ceremony that entailed quite a ritual: the glass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-mess-gu/peasants-seldom-write-letters-and-for-my-father-the-arrival-of-a/) Maurice Mességué > [Every first thing is always a miracle. The first person you fall in love with. The first letter you receive. The first stone you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/every-first-thing-is-always-a-miracle-the-first-person-you-fall-in/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [I get an award for being the best dressed, but at the end of the day I'm not Daphne Guinness. I don't like people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/i-get-an-award-for-being-the-best-dressed-but-at-the-end-of-the-day-i/) [Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/) > [Woman--with a capital letter--should by now have ceased to be a specialty. There should be no more need of "movements" on her behalf, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-virginia-terhune/woman-with-a-capital-letter-should-by-now-have-ceased-to-be-a/) [Mary Virginia Terhune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-virginia-terhune/) > [“What begins with a capital letter, ends with a full stop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-kashef/what-begins-with-a-capital-letter-ends-with-a-full-stop/) [Yasser Kashef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-kashef/) > [Sure, women sportswriters look when they're in the clubhouse. Read their stories. How else do you explain a capital letter in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-uecker/sure-women-sportswriters-look-when-they-re-in-the-clubhouse-read/) [Bob Uecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-uecker/) > [“I actually like it. It does everything I want a word processing program to do, and it doesn't do anything else. I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-actually-like-it-it-does-everything-i-want-a-word-processing/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [The bravest person I've ever met was a young boy going through massive amounts of treatment for a very rare, complex and unpleasant disease.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-bravest-person-i-ve-ever-met-was-a-young-boy-going-through/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The Assassin moved quietly from roof to roof until he was well away from the excitement around the Watch House. His movements could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-assassin-moved-quietly-from-roof-to-roof-until-he-was-well-away/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [An Assassin, a real Assassin had to look like one-black clothes, hood, boots, and all. If they could wear any clothes, any disguise, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/an-assassin-a-real-assassin-had-to-look-like-one-black-clothes-hood/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [- I USHERED SOULS INTO THE NEXT WORLD. I WAS THE GRAVE OF ALL HOPE. I WAS THE ULTIMATE REALITY. I WAS THE ASSASSIN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-ushered-souls-into-the-next-world-i-was-the-grave-of-all-hope-i-was/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But she was too big to be a thief, too honest to be an assassin, too intelligent to be a wife, and too proud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-she-was-too-big-to-be-a-thief-too-honest-to-be-an-assassin-too/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“I feel him near in the twist of me guts. It's something I've always been able to do. --The Reluctant Assassin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/i-feel-him-near-in-the-twist-of-me-guts-it-s-something-i-ve-always/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Yes Rosalie, we all know how proficient of an assassin you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/yes-rosalie-we-all-know-how-proficient-of-an-assassin-you-are/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Assassin quotes > [Yes Rosalie, we all know how proficient of an assassin you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/yes-rosalie-we-all-know-how-proficient-of-an-assassin-you-are/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“I feel him near in the twist of me guts. It's something I've always been able to do. --The Reluctant Assassin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/i-feel-him-near-in-the-twist-of-me-guts-it-s-something-i-ve-always/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Nixon's own protection from the assassin's bullet... nattering nabobs of negativism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/nixon-s-own-protection-from-the-assassin-s-bullet-nattering-nabobs-of/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > [“So much simpler, to kill for gold. It did not matter what anyone thought about that. The only rules he abided were those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-t-mckinstry/so-much-simpler-to-kill-for-gold-it-did-not-matter-what-anyone/) [F.T. McKinstry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-t-mckinstry/) > [“He was kind—unnaturally kind, for someone of his upbringing. He had a heart, she realized, and a conscience. He was different from the others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/he-was-kind-unnaturally-kind-for-someone-of-his-upbringing-he-had-a/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“She looked at me. “You’re an assassin, aren’t you? When there are rumors the government has someone on the payroll, they’re talking about you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/she-looked-at-me-you-re-an-assassin-aren-t-you-when-there-are-rumors/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“I don’t think you’re an adventure,” he muttered. “Oh? The castle offers so much excitement that the presence of Adarlan’s Assassin is nothing unusual?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/i-don-t-think-you-re-an-adventure-he-muttered-oh-the-castle-offers-so/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“can I help it if I’m a better assassin than I am a housewife?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-brown/can-i-help-it-if-i-m-a-better-assassin-than-i-am-a-housewife/) [Josie Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-brown/) > [“What is the truth?’ he asked. ‘We place faith in ourselves,’ replied Altaïr (...) ‘We see the world as it really is, and hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-bowden/what-is-the-truth-he-asked-we-place-faith-in-ourselves-replied-alta-r/) [Oliver Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-bowden/) > [“Radiation is the ultimate assassin. Silent, invisible, tasteless, formless, odourless. It eviscerates the human body, devising sadistically imaginative forms of suffering. And it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darragh-mckeon/radiation-is-the-ultimate-assassin-silent-invisible-tasteless/) Darragh McKeon > [“Their lives were precarious and they knew it. They were trying their best to fit themselves into a country which would never quite accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-runciman/their-lives-were-precarious-and-they-knew-it-they-were-trying-their/) [Steven Runciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-runciman/) > [“I don’t know who that idiot is, running around in that cloak like he thinks he’s an assassin, but where did he get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-wight/i-don-t-know-who-that-idiot-is-running-around-in-that-cloak-like-he/) [Will Wight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-wight/) > [“What about them, you adorable man?” “I am not adorable. I am a trained assassin.” “Yes, you’re very, very scary,” she assured him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaelen-foley/what-about-them-you-adorable-man-i-am-not-adorable-i-am-a-trained/) [Gaelen Foley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaelen-foley/) > [“She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry. I am Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan’s Assassin. If these men knew who I was, they’d stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-tried-to-swallow-but-her-mouth-was-dry-i-am-celaena-sardothien/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“I’m out of health potions. Retreat! Retreat! Give me some of your health potions!” I screamed. “I don’t have any potions. Run, bitch, run,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-m-out-of-health-potions-retreat-retreat-give-me-some-of-your-health/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) [Browse all 224 Assassin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather, an Assassin. The capital letter was important. It separated those curs who went around murdering people for money from the gentlemen who were occasionally consulted by other gentlemen who wished to have removed, for a consideration, any inconvenient razorblades from the candyfloss of life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an-assassin-the-capital-letter/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assassin" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an-assassin-the-capital-letter/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/terry-pratchett-19_life_lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an_2074564.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/terry-pratchett-19_life_lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an_2074564.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/terry-pratchett-19_life_lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an_2074564.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather, an Assassin. The capital letter was important. It separated those…” — Terry Pratchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Lord Downey was an assassin. Or,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an-assassin-the-capital-letter/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/lord-downey-was-an-assassin-or-rather-an-assassin-the-capital-letter/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```