Reference
_The Devil's Dictionary_ was begun in a weekly paper in 1881, and was continued in a desultory way at long intervals until 1906. In that year a large part of it was published in covers with the title _The Cynic's Word Book_, a name which the author had not the power to reject...
_The Devil's Dictionary_ was begun in a weekly paper in 1881, and was continued in a desultory way at long intervals until 1906. In that year a large part of it was published in...
2. Chapter 2BEHAVIOR, n. Conduct, as determined, not by principle, but by breeding. The word seems to be somewhat loosely used in Dr. Jamrach Holobom's translation of the following lines fr...
3. Chapter 3CUPID, n. The so-called god of love. This bastard creation of a barbarous fancy was no doubt inflicted upon mythology for the sins of its deities. Of all unbeautiful and inappro...
4. Chapter 4ENTHUSIASM, n. A distemper of youth, curable by small doses of repentance in connection with outward applications of experience. Byron, who recovered long enough to call it "ent...
5. Chapter 5FREEMASONS, n. An order with secret rites, grotesque ceremonies and fantastic costumes, which, originating in the reign of Charles II, among working artisans of London, has been...
6. Chapter 6In ancient times there lived a king Whose tax-collectors could not wring From all his subjects gold enough To make the royal way less rough. For pleasure's highway, like the dam...
7. Chapter 7A Roman slave appeared one day Before the Augur. "Tell me, pray, If--" here the Augur, smiling, made A checking gesture and displayed His open palm, which plainly itched, For vi...
8. Chapter 8K is a consonant that we get from the Greeks, but it can be traced away back beyond them to the Cerathians, a small commercial nation inhabiting the peninsula of Smero. In their...
9. Chapter 9Miss Sallie Ann Splurge, of her own accord, Wedded a wandering English lord-- Wedded and took him to dwell with her "paw," A parent who throve by the practice of Draw. Lord Cadd...
10. Chapter 10It is sayd there be a raunge of mountaynes in the Easte, on one syde of the which certayn conducts are immorall, yet on the other syde they are holden in good esteeme; wherebye...
11. Chapter 11The editor of an English magazine having received a letter pointing out the erroneous nature of his views and style, and signed "Perfection," promptly wrote at the foot of the l...
12. Chapter 12RAILROAD, n. The chief of many mechanical devices enabling us to get away from where we are to where we are no better off. For this purpose the railroad is held in highest favor...
13. Chapter 13ROUNDHEAD, n. A member of the Parliamentarian party in the English civil war--so called from his habit of wearing his hair short, whereas his enemy, the Cavalier, wore his long....
14. Chapter 14The wheels go round without a sound-- The maidens hold high revel; In sinful mood, insanely gay, True spinsters spin adown the way From duty to the devil! They laugh, they sing,...
15. Chapter 15TOPE, v. To tipple, booze, swill, soak, guzzle, lush, bib, or swig. In the individual, toping is regarded with disesteem, but toping nations are in the forefront of civilization...
16. Chapter 16Time to the dead so all unreckoned flies That when your marble is all dust, arise, If wakened, stretch your limbs and yawn-- You'll think you scarcely can have closed your eyes.