Related:

• NOBLEMAN, n. Nature's provision for wealthy American minds ambitious to incur social distinction and suffer high life.
  -- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary...
• BELLADONNA, n. In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly poison.
  A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues....
• UNCTION, n. An oiling, or greasing. The rite of extreme unction consists in touching with oil consecrated by a bishop several parts of the body of one engaged in dying.
  Marbury relates that after the rite had been administered to a certain wicked English nobleman it was discovered that the oil had not been properly consecrated and no other could be obtained....
• PIE, n. An advance agent of the reaper whose name is Indigestion.
  Cold pie was highly esteemed by the remains. Rev....
• BLANK-VERSE, n. Unrhymed iambic pentameters -- the most difficult kind of English verse to write acceptably
  a kind, therefore, much affected by those who cannot acceptably write any kind....
• RECOUNT, n. In American politics, another throw of the dice, accorded to the player against whom they are loaded.
  -- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary...
• ALIEN, n. An American sovereign in his probationary state.
  -- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary...
• GRAPESHOT, n. An argument which the future is preparing in answer to the demands of American Socialism.
  -- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary...
• REAR, n. In American military matters, that exposed part of the army that is nearest to Congress.
  -- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary...