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Devil's dictionary - V
 
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Introduction
Abasement to Avernus

Baal to Brute
Caaba to Cynic
Damn to Duty
Eat to Extinction
Fairy to Future
Gallows to Gunpowder
Habeus corpus to Hypocrite
Ichor to Itch

Jealous to Justice
Keep to Koran
Labor to Lyre
Mace to Mythology
Nectar to November
Oath to Oyster
Pain to Pyrrhonism

Queen to Quotient

Rabble to Russian
Sabbath to Symbolic
Table D'Hote to Tzetze
Ubiquity to Uxoriousness
Wall Street to Wrath
X, the useless letter

Yankee to Youth
Zany to Zoology


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Ambrose Bierce

Alternative Religion/ library/ Texts

VALOR, n. A soldierly compound of vanity, duty and the gambler's hope.

"Why have you halted?" roared the commander of a division and Chickamauga, who had ordered a charge; "move forward, sir, at once."

"General," said the commander of the delinquent brigade, "I am persuaded that any further display of valor by my troops will bring them into collision with the enemy."

VANITY, n. The tribute of a fool to the worth of the nearest ass.

They say that hens do cackle loudest when
There's nothing vital in the eggs they've laid;
And there are hens, professing to have made
A study of mankind, who say that men
Whose business 'tis to drive the tongue or pen
Make the most clamorous fanfaronade
O'er their most worthless work; and I'm afraid
They're not entirely different from the hen.
Lo! the drum-major in his coat of gold,
His blazing breeches and high-towering cap -
Imperiously pompous, grandly bold,
Grim, resolute, an awe-inspiring chap!
Who'd think this gorgeous creature's only virtue
Is that in battle he will never hurt you?

Hannibal Hunsiker

VIRTUES, n.pl. Certain abstentions.

VITUPERATION, n. Saite, as understood by dunces and all such as suffer from an impediment in their wit.

VOTE, n. The instrument and symbol of a freeman's power to make a fool of himself and a wreck of his country.

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Jennifer Emick
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Jennifer Emick
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