Preface

________________________________________________
_

                             The
                           FOOLISH
                          DICTIONARY
               An exhausting work of reference
              to un-certain English words, their
                 origin, meaning, legitimate
                    and illegitimate use,
                         confused by
                        A FEW PICTURES
                     BY WALLACE GOLDSMITH
                        Executed by
                         GIDEON WURDZ
           Master of Pholly, Doctor of Loquacious
                 Lunacy, Fellow of the Royal
                  Gibe Society, etc., etc.
                 COVER DESIGNED BY E.B. BIRD
                  JOHN. W. LUCE AND COMPANY
                      BOSTON   MDCCCCIV
 
                              To
                           MY DOG,
                 Who first heard these lines
                     And didn't run away
                             MAD,
                    I Reverently Dedicate
                          This Tome

"A Fool may give a Wise Man counsel."

Preface.

In this age of the arduous pursuit of peace, prosperity and pleasure, the smallest contribution to the gaiety, if not to the wisdom, of nations can scarcely be unwelcome. With this in mind, the author has prepared "The Foolish Dictionary," not in serious emulation of the worthier--and wordier--works of Webster and Worcester, but rather in the playful spirit of the parodist, who would gladly direct the faint rays from his flickering candle of fun to the shrine of their great memories.

With half a million English words to choose from, modesty has been the watchword, and the author has confined himself to the treatment of only about half a thousand. How wise, flippant, sober or stupid, this treatment has been, it is for the reader alone to judge. However, if from epigram, derivative or pure absurdity, there be born a single laugh between the lids, the laborer will accredit himself worthy of his hire.

In further explanation it should be said that some slight deference has been made to other wits, and the definitions include a few quotations from the great minds of the past and present. As for the rest, the jury will please acknowledge a plea of guilty from

GIDEON WURDZ.

 
ABBREVIATIONS.
Bet.              Between.
Dist.             Distinguish.
Eng.              English.
Fr.               French.
Ger.              German.
Grk.              Greek.
Lat.              Latin.
Syn.              Synonym.
v. i.             Verb intransitive.
v. t.             Verb transitive.
 

It's a long lane that has no ashbarrel. _

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