The Cynic's Word Book. Bierce Ambrose

adj. Independent, irresponsible. An absolute monarchy is one in which the sovereign does as he pleases so long as he pleases the assassins. Not many absolute monarchies are left, most of them having been replaced by limited monarchies, where the sovereigns' power for evil (and for good) is greatly curtailed, and by republics, which are governed by chance.

      ABSTAINER, n. A weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure. A Total Abstainer is one who abstains from everything, but abstention, and especially from inactivity in the affairs of others.

           Said a man to a crapulent youth: "I thought

           You a total abstainer, my son."

           "So I am, so I am," said the scapegrace caught —

           "But not, sir, a bigoted one."

           G. J.

      ABSURDITY, n. A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.

      ACADEME, n. An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.

      ACADEMY, n. [from Academe]. A modern school where football is taught.

      ACCIDENT, n. An inevitable occurrence due to the action of immutable natural laws.

      ACCOMPLICE, n. One associated with another in a crime, having guilty knowledge and complicity, as an attorney who defends a criminal, knowing him guilty. This view of the attorney's position in the matter has not hitherto commanded the assent of attorneys, no one having offered them a fee for assenting.

      ACCORD, n. Harmony.

      ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin.

      ACCOUNTABILITY, n. The mother of caution.

           "My accountability, bear in mind,"

           Said the Grand Vizier: "Yes, yes."

           Said the Shah: "I do – 't is the only kind

           Of ability you possess."

      ACCUSE, v. t. To affirm another's guilt or unworth; most commonly as a justification of ourselves for having wronged him.

      ACEPHALOUS, adj. In the surprising condition of the Crusader who absently pulled at his forelock some hours after a Saracen scimitar had, unconsciously to him, passed through his neck, as related by the Prince de Joinville.

      ACHIEVEMENT, n. The death of endeavor and the birth of disgust.

      ACKNOWLEDGE, v. t. To confess. To acknowledge one another's faults is the highest duty imposed by our love of truth.

      Joram Tate.

      ACQUAINTANCE, n. A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to. A degree of friendship called slight when its object is poor or obscure, and "intimate" when he is rich or famous.

      ACTUALLY, adv. Perhaps; possibly.

      ADAGE, n. Boned wisdom for weak teeth.

      ADAMANT, n. A mineral frequently found beneath a corset. Soluble in solicitate of gold.

      ADDER, n. A species of snake. So called from its habit of adding funeral outlays to the other expenses of living.

      ADHERENT, n. A follower who has not yet obtained all that he expects to get.

      ADMINISTRATION, n. An ingenious abstraction in politics, designed to receive the kicks and cuffs due to the premier or president. A man of straw, proof against bad-egging and dead-catting.

      ADMIRABILITY, n. My kind of ability, as distinguished from your kind of ability.

      ADMIRAL, n. That part of a war-ship which does the talking while the figure-head does the thinking.

      ADMIRATION, n. Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to ourselves.

      ADMONITION, n. Gentle reproof, as with a meat-axe. Friendly warning.

           Consigned, by way of admonition,

           His soul forever to perdition.

           Judibras.

      ADORE, v. t. To venerate expectantly.

      ADVICE, n. The smallest current coin.

           "The man was in such deep distress,"

           Said Tom, "that I could do no less

           Than give him good advice." Said Jim:

           "If less could have been done for him

           I know you well enough, my son,

           To know that's what you would have done."

           Je bel Jocordy,

      AFFIANCED, pp. Fitted with an anklering for the ball-and-chain.

      AFFLICTION, n. An acclimatizing process preparing the soul for another and bitter world.

      AFRICAN, n. A nigger that votes our way.

      AGE, n. That period of life in which we compound for the vices that remain by reviling those that we have no longer the vigor to commit.

      AGITATOR, n. A statesman who shakes the fruit trees of his neighbors – to dislodge the worms.

      AIM, n. The task we set our wishes to.

           "Cheer up! Have you no aim in life?"

           She tenderly inquired.

           "An aim? Well, no, I have n't, wife;

           The fact is – I have fired."

           G.F.

      AIR, n. That nutritious substance so abundantly supplied by a bountiful Providence for the fattening of the poor.

      ALDERMAN, n. An ingenious criminal who covers his secret thieving with a pretence of open marauding.

      ALIEN, n. An American sovereign in his probationary state.

      ALLAH, n. The Mahometan Supreme Being, as distinguished from the Christian, Jewish, etc.

           Allah's good laws I faithfully have kept,

           And ever for the sins of man have wept;

           And sometimes kneeling in the temple I

           Have reverently crossed my hands and slept.

           Junker Barlow.

      ALLEGIANCE, n.

           This thing Allegiance, as I suppose,

           Is a ring fitted in the subject's nose,

           Whereby that organ is kept rightly pointed

           To smell the sweetness of the Lord's anointed.

           G.F.

      ALLIANCE, n. In international politics, the union of two thieves who have their hands so deeply inserted in each other's pocket that they cannot separately plunder a third.

      ALLIGATOR, n. The crocodile of America, superior in every respect to the crocodile of the effete monarchies of the Old World. Herodotus says the Indus is, with one exception, the only river that produces crocodiles, but they appear to have gone West and grown up with the other rivers. From the notches on his back the alligator is called a sawrian.

      ALONE, adj. In bad company.

           In contact, lo! the flint and steel,

           By spark and flame, the thought reveal

           That he the metal, she the stone,

           Had cherished secretly alone.

           Booley Fito.

      ALTAR,