Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Language should be played with. Scrabble, crossword puzzles, and The Devil's Dictionary.

I'm sure you really need to know that absurdity could be defined as A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion (p. 5). Or bigot as One who is obstinately and zealously attached to an opinion that you do not entertain (p. 14).

You need to know that I is the first letter of the alphabet, the first word of the language, the first thought of the mind, the first object of affection (p. 57).

Ambrose Bierce's definitions are accurate, cynical, and tongue in cheek. You would have wanted to invite him to your next party. Who else would recognize that loquacity is A disorder which renders the sufferer unable to curb his tongue when you wish to talk (p. 78)? Maybe he could keep the other guests under control?

Bierce includes a fair amount of prose and poetry to further elucidate his vocabulary. I skipped most of these, as I don't like a lot of poetry, especially his choice in poetry. But his definitions, oh his definitions!

In this age of tariffs, his definition of tariff seems apropos as a place to end: A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer (p. 131).

Enjoy!