The Devil's Dictionary

Ambrose Bierce

Nov 2022 · Open Road Media

About this eBook

This timeless work of biting satirical wit presents an A-to-Z lexicon of common English terms, and what we actually mean by them.

The renowned author Ambrose Bierce produced classic works in a range of genres, from fantasy and horror to realistic tales drawn from his experience in the Civil War. Among his most beloved books is The Devil’s Dictionary, a work of wry humor that remains one of the funniest assessments of American language and manners. Through epigrams, essays, vignettes, and verse, Bierce skewers religion, class, politics, romance, and more.

Included, you’ll find such pithy definitions as:

·      Acquaintance, n.: A person whom we know well enough to borrow from but not well enough to lend to.

·      Bride, n.: A woman with a great future behind her.

·      Consult, v.: To seek another's approval of a course already decided on.

And many others.

About the author

Ambrose Bierce was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and Civil War veteran. A prolific and versatile writer, Bierce was regarded as one of the most influential journalists in the United States, and as a pioneering writer of realist fiction. His story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” has been described as “one of the most famous and frequently anthologized stories in American literature.”