Chapter 1 - page 15
abandoned, enthusiasm
"My wife and I abandoned ourselves with enthusiasm to the idea of helping other alcoholics to a solution of their problems."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 15
In this sentence abandoned functions as a verb, and enthusiasm functions as noun. 2
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
skeptical
"It was fortunate, for my old business associates remained skeptical for a year and a half, during which I found little work."
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Big Book - Bill's Story - page 15
In this sentence skeptical functions as an adjective. 2
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
plagued, abandoned, enthusiasm
"I was not too well at the time, and was plagued by waves of self-pity and resentment."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 15
In this sentence plagued, self-pity, and resentment are used as nouns. 2
Self-pity is when a person's unhappiness becomes excessive and self-absorbed, it centers entirely on their own troubles.
Self-pity is when a person's unhappiness becomes excessive and self-absorbed, it centers entirely on their own troubles.
The word "resentment" comes from French and Latin roots, meaning "to feel again." It refers to the recurring, bitter feeling from being wronged and "reliving" the hurt over time. 4
One definition of resent by the 1930 Webster's Dictionary is "to give forth an odor...". Ever been around someone consumed by resentment? How did you know their condition?
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
feuds, bitterness
"I have seen hundreds of families set their feet in the path that really goes somewhere ; have seen the most impossible domestic situations righted;
feuds and bitterness of all sorts wiped out."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 15
In this sentence feuds and bitterness both function as nouns. 2
A feud is a quarrel usually between groups of people.
Self-pity is when a person's unhappiness becomes excessive and self-absorbed, it centers entirely on their own troubles.
Bitterness is a long-lasting feeling of deep resentment, often coming from anger, betrayal, or unmet expectations. Unlike sudden
anger, which fades quickly, bitterness stays, often quietly, and can harm both your mind and body.
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
asylums
"I have seen men come out of asylums and resume a vital place in the lives of their families and communities."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 15
In this sentence feuds and bitterness both function as nouns. 2
In the 1930's an asylum was a mental hospital: An institution providing care for the mentally ill, often called a "lunatic asylum" or "insane asylum".
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
environs
"In one western city and its environs there are one thousand of us and our families."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 15
In this sentence the word environs is used as a plural noun. 2
The environs are the suburbs. When Bill wrote this chapter, he was living in Brooklyn. The western city Bill is referring to is Akron, Ohio, and its surrounding communities. Dr. Bob was living in Akron at the time Bill was writing the Big Book in Brooklyn.
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
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Footnotes for page 15
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