Ambrose Bierce's 'Devil's Dictionary'

Ambrose Bierce was a journalist, short story writer and critic. His famous 'Devil's Dictionary' is a satirical collection of definitions compiled from columns that he started in the 1870's.

Here are a few for your enjoyment:

• Critic-a person who boasts himself hard to please because nobody tries to please him.
• Optimist-a proponent of the doctrine that black is white.
• Impiety-your irreverence toward my deity.
• Plan-to bother about the best method of accomplishing an accidental result.
• Radicalism-the conservatism of tomorrow injected into the affairs of today.

Source: The Devil's Dictionary, Dover Thrift Edition, ed. by Philip Smith