cynic - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about cynic Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,751,019,458 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

cynic

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.02 sec.

cynic

Member of a school of Greek philosophy (cynicism), founded in Athens about 400 BC by Antisthenes, a disciple of Socrates, who advocated a stern and simple morality and a complete disregard of pleasure and comfort.

His followers, led by Diogenes, not only showed a contemptuous disregard for pleasure, but despised all human affection as a source of weakness. Their ‘snarling contempt’ for ordinary people earned them the name of cynic (Greek ‘doglike’).



How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
 Email
Feedback
?Sign in SSL protected
Email:
Password:
Register

? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
So the Cynic turned out of the road to let the Optimist roll by in his gold carriage.
Fantastic-Fables by Bierce, Ambrose View in context
Though Thackeray is no cynic he is a satirist as much as Pope or Dryden, but the most kindly satirist who ever wrote.
English Literature For Boys And Girls by Marshall, H.E. View in context
As the Cynic spoke, several of the party were startled by a gleam of red splendor, that showed the huge shapes of the surrounding mountains and the rock-bestrewn bed of the turbulent river with an illumination unlike that of their fire on the trunks and black boughs of the forest trees.
From Twice Told Tales by Hawthorne, Nathaniel View in context
More results
 
Hutchinson browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Hutchinson Encyclopedia
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.