The Devil's Dictionary

The Devil's Dictionary is often considered Ambrose Bierce's most famous work. Portions of it were published in the San Francisco Wasp. Originally published in 1906 as The Cynic's Word Book, it features Bierce's witty and often ironic spin on many common English words.Finally published in its entirety in 1911, the definitions found therein are as apt today as they were nearly a century ago. An example: "HOMICIDE, n. The slaying of one human being by another. There are four kinds of homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy, but it makes no great difference to the person slain whether he fell by one kind or another -- the classification is for advantage of the lawyers."