The Devil's Dictionary — Ambrose Bierce

The Devil's Dictionary

Ambrose Bierce · الترخيص: Public domain · المصدر

• REASON, n. Propensitate of prejudice. ¶1328
• REASONABLE, adj. Accessible to the infection of our own opinions. Hospitable to persuasion, dissuasion and evasion. ¶1329
• REBEL, n. A proponent of a new misrule who has failed to establish it. ¶1330
• RECOLLECT, v. To recall with additions something not previously known. ¶1331
• RECONCILIATION, n. A suspension of hostilities. An armed truce for the purpose of digging up the dead. ¶1332
• RECONSIDER, v. To seek a justification for a decision already made. ¶1333
• RECOUNT, n. In American politics, another throw of the dice, accorded to the player against whom they are loaded. ¶1334
• RECREATION, n. A particular kind of dejection to relieve a general fatigue. ¶1335
• RECRUIT, n. A person distinguishable from a civilian by his uniform and from a soldier by his gait. ¶1336
• Fresh from the farm or factory or street, His marching, in pursuit or in retreat, Were an impressive martial spectacle Except for two impediments--his feet. ¶1337
• RECTOR, n. In the Church of England, the Third Person of the parochial Trinity, the Curate and the Vicar being the other two. ¶1339
• REDEMPTION, n. Deliverance of sinners from the penalty of their sin, through their murder of the deity against whom they sinned. The doctrine of Redemption is the fundamental mystery of our holy religion, and whoso believeth in it shall not perish, but have everlasting life in which to try to understand it. ¶1340
• We must awake Man's spirit from his sin, And take some special measure for redeeming it; Though hard indeed the task to get it in Among the angels any way but teaming it, Or purify it otherwise than steaming it. I'm awkward at Redemption--a beginner: My method is to crucify the sinner. ¶1341
• REDRESS, n. Reparation without satisfaction. ¶1343
• RED-SKIN, n. A North American Indian, whose skin is not red--at least not on the outside. ¶1345
• REDUNDANT, adj. Superfluous; needless; _de trop_. ¶1346
• The Sultan said: "There's evidence abundant To prove this unbelieving dog redundant." To whom the Grand Vizier, with mien impressive, Replied: "His head, at least, appears excessive." ¶1347
• Mr. Debs is a redundant citizen. ¶1349
• REFERENDUM, n. A law for submission of proposed legislation to a popular vote to learn the nonsensus of public opinion. ¶1351
• REFLECTION, n. An action of the mind whereby we obtain a clearer view of our relation to the things of yesterday and are able to avoid the perils that we shall not again encounter. ¶1352
• REFORM, v. A thing that mostly satisfies reformers opposed to reformation. ¶1353
• RELIGION, n. A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable. ¶1357
• "What is your religion my son?" inquired the Archbishop of Rheims. "Pardon, monseigneur," replied Rochebriant; "I am ashamed of it." "Then why do you not become an atheist?" "Impossible! I should be ashamed of atheism." "In that case, monsieur, you should join the Protestants." ¶1358
• RENOWN, n. A degree of distinction between notoriety and fame--a little more supportable than the one and a little more intolerable than the other. Sometimes it is conferred by an unfriendly and inconsiderate hand. ¶1360
• I touched the harp in every key, But found no heeding ear; And then Ithuriel touched me With a revealing spear. ¶1361
• Not all my genius, great as 'tis, Could urge me out of night. I felt the faint appulse of his, And leapt into the light! ¶1362
• REPARATION, n. Satisfaction that is made for a wrong and deducted from the satisfaction felt in committing it. ¶1364
• REPARTEE, n. Prudent insult in retort. Practiced by gentlemen with a constitutional aversion to violence, but a strong disposition to offend. In a war of words, the tactics of the North American Indian. ¶1365
• REPENTANCE, n. The faithful attendant and follower of Punishment. It is usually manifest in a degree of reformation that is not inconsistent with continuity of sin. ¶1366
• Desirous to avoid the pains of Hell, You will repent and join the Church, Parnell? How needless!--Nick will keep you off the coals And add you to the woes of other souls. ¶1367
• REPLICA, n. A reproduction of a work of art, by the artist that made the original. It is so called to distinguish it from a "copy," which is made by another artist. When the two are made with equal skill the replica is the more valuable, for it is supposed to be more beautiful than it looks. ¶1369
• REPORTER, n. A writer who guesses his way to the truth and dispels it with a tempest of words. ¶1370
• "More dear than all my bosom knows, O thou Whose 'lips are sealed' and will not disavow!" So sang the blithe reporter-man as grew Beneath his hand the leg-long "interview." ¶1371
• REPOSE, v.i. To cease from troubling. ¶1373
• REPRESENTATIVE, n. In national politics, a member of the Lower House in this world, and without discernible hope of promotion in the next. ¶1374
• REPROBATION, n. In theology, the state of a luckless mortal prenatally damned. The doctrine of reprobation was taught by Calvin, whose joy in it was somewhat marred by the sad sincerity of his conviction that although some are foredoomed to perdition, others are predestined to salvation. ¶1375
• REQUIEM, n. A mass for the dead which the minor poets assure us the winds sing o'er the graves of their favorites. Sometimes, by way of providing a varied entertainment, they sing a dirge. ¶1377
• RESIDENT, adj. Unable to leave. ¶1378
• RESIGN, v.t. To renounce an honor for an advantage. To renounce an advantage for a greater advantage. ¶1379
• 'Twas rumored Leonard Wood had signed A true renunciation Of title, rank and every kind Of military station-- Each honorable station. ¶1380

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