Chapter 1 - page 2
investigator, surety
"I took a night law course, and obtained employment as investigator for a surety company"
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 2
In this sentence investigator and surety are used as nouns. 2
A surety company is a business that issues bonds (insurance) to ensure that a third party (the principal) will fulfill its obligations. For example, when a city puts out a bid for a water treatment facility, the city requires the contractor (the principal) to purchase a surety bond (insurance) before starting the project. This bond gives the city a guarantee that it will be reimbursed for any damages it incurs if the contractor fails to complete the project in accordance with the contract terms. In this example the city would be hiring a bonded contractor.
After returning from the war, Bill became an investigator for the United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company (USF&G), where he examined suspected fraudulent claims. He attended law classes at night at the Brooklyn School of Law. He completed the course, passed his finals, but because he was too drunk to attend the graduation ceremony the school withheld the degree.4 Bill never practiced law. USF&G was established in 1896 and ceased operation in 1998 when it was acquired by The Travelers Companies.
A side story from while Bill was searching for employment comes from him responding to a job opportunity at Thomas Edison's Lab in New Jersey. The job was for lab assistances to work with Edison. Bill went to East Orange, spending an entire day taking an exam, and an interview. Weeks pasted with no word on the position. One night shortly after Bill had started the job at USF&G, a reporter from the New York Times visited Bill relaying that the next morning the Times would run an article listing the names of the winners of the job offer. Bill's name appeared on the list. Bill instead decided to pursue his Wall Street path. 5
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
forebodings, majestic, constructions, philosophic
"We had long talks when I would still her forebodings by telling her that men of genius conceived their best projects when drunk; that
the most majestic constructions philosophic thought were so derived."
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Big Book - Bill's Story - page 2
In this sentence forebodings is used as a noun. The words majestic and philosophic are used as adjectives. The word constructions is used as a plural noun. 2
In this sentence forebodings is used to describe his wife's worrying and concerns about his heavy drinking. Bill is justifying his drinking by telling Lois that many great intellectual breakthroughs were conceived by people while they were intoxicated, although he fails to list any examples.
The phrase 'majestic constructions of philosophic thought' refers to grand, complex, and impressive philosophical ideas or theories. "Western philosophy refers to the philosophical thought, traditions, and works of the Western world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning with the ancient Greek philosophy of the pre-Socratics. Western philosophy stands in contrast to other cultural and regional traditions like Eastern philosophy. 6
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
maelstrom, Wall Street
The inviting maelstrom of Wall Street had me in its grip."
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Big Book - Bill's Story - page 2
In this sentence maelstrom is used as a noun. 2
A maelstrom refers to a whirlpool, which sucks in everything surrounding it. Off the coast of Norway is a famous whirlpool named Maelström, from which the word originates.8
Wall Street is a street in New York City that is the financial center of the United States. The term "Wall Street" is now used as a symbolic term referring to the entire U.S. financial industry. 9
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
"A Descent into the Maelström"
By Harry Clarke 1919 - Public Domain
the New York Stock Exchange Building is on the right.
ally, speculation, forge, boomerang, ribbons
Out of this ally of drink and speculation, I commenced to forge the weapon that one day would turn in its flight like a
boomerang and all but cut me to ribbons."
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Big Book - Bill's Story - page 2
In this sentence ally, boomerang, and ribbons are used as nouns, the word forge is used as a verb. 2
The symbolism of a boomerang originates from Bill's childhood experience of designing and learning to throw one. He crafted the boomerang using the wood from the headboard of his bed, which delighted his grandfather but not so much his grandmother. 7
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
securities
It went into certain securities, then cheap and rather unpopular."
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Big Book - Bill's Story - page 2
In this sentence securities is used as a noun. 2
A security is a financial instrument or certificate that has monetary value and can be traded. Examples are bonds, stocks, notes, etc...
Definition from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
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Footnotes for page 2;
1Quotes from the Big Book on listed on this page are from the public domain version, in the United States, of the 2nd edition of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. Accessible at 12step.org
2Sentence diagramming, to determine the word usage within the sentence, was performed by CoreNLP at corenlp.run.
3Definitions used are from the Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language 1930 Edition. Access to this dictionary online is at Hathitrust.org
4Law School story from page 33 of the book "Bill W." by Francis Hartigan.
5USF&G and Edison stories from page 123 of the book "Bill W." by Robert Thomsen (1975).
6Definition of Western philosophy from Wikipedia.
7Boomerang story recorded in the book "Bill W." by Robert Thomsen (1975), pages 31-33.