Light On Dark Water

At least for another hour or so, at least in my time zone. So in the great cynic's honor, let's have a few choice items from The Devil's Dictionary. We need look no further than the "M"s for half a dozen nice ones.

MAGPIE, n. A bird whose thievish disposition suggested to someone that it might be taught to talk.

MAUSOLEUM, n. The final and funniest folly of the rich.

MERCY, n. An attribute beloved of detected offenders.

METROPOLIS, n. A stronghold of provincialism.

MONSIGNOR, n. A high ecclesiastical title, of which the Founder of our religion overlooked the advantages.

MULTITUDE, n. A crowd; the source of political wisdom and virtue. In a republic, the object of the statesman's adoration. "In a multitude of consellors there is wisdom," saith the proverb. If many men of equal individual wisdom are wiser than any one of them, it must be that they acquire the excess of wisdom by the mere act of getting together. Whence comes it? Obviously from nowhere — as well say that a range of mountains is higher than the single mountains composing it. A multitude is as wise as its wisest member if it obey him; if not, it is no wiser than its most foolish.

(Lifted from TheDevilsDictionary.com)