W Quotes
Browse famous quotes beginning with W. This page is a child index of the full Popular Quotes A-Z directory.
“What, then, is light according to the electromagnetic theory? It consists of alternate and opposite rapidly recurring transverse magnetic disturbances, accompanied with electric displacements, the direction of the electric displacement being at the right angles to the magnetic disturbance, and both at right angles to the direction of the ray.”
Source: The Scientific Letters and Papers of James Clerk Maxwell:
“What, then, is that incalculable feeling that deprives the mind of the sleep necessary to life? A world that can be explained even with bad reasons is a familiar world. But, on the other hand, in a universe suddenly divested of illusions and lights, man feels an alien, a stranger. His exile is without remedy since he is deprived of the memory of a lost home or the hope of a promised land. This divorce between man and his life, the actor and his setting, is properly the feeling of absurdity.”
Source: The Myth of Sisyphus: And Other Essays
“What, then, is the basic difference between today's computer and an intelligent being? It is that the computer can be made to seebut not to perceive. What matters here is not that the computer is without consciousness but that thus far it is incapable of the spontaneous grasp of pattern--a capacity essential to perception and intelligence.”
Source: Visual Thinking
“What, then, is the effect of pesticides? Pesticides have created a legacy of pain, and misery, and death for farm workers and consumers alike. The crop which poses the greatest danger, and the focus of our struggle, is the table grape crop. These pesticides soak the fields. Drift with the wind, pollute the water, and are eaten by unwitting consumers. These poisons are designed to kill, and pose a very real threat to consumers and farm workers alike.”
Source: An Organizer's Tale: Speeches
“What, then, is the government? An intermediary body established between the subjects and the sovereign for their mutual communication, and charged with the execution of the laws and the maintenance of freedom, civil as well as political.”
“What, then, is the true Gospel of consistency? Change. Who is the really consistent man? The man who changes. Since change is the law of his being, he cannot be consistent if he stick in a rut.”
Source: Twain: Collected Tales, Sketches, Speeches, and Essays, Volume 1: 1852-1890
“What, then, is this blue sky, which certainly does exist, and which veils from us the stars during the day?”
Source: The Atmosphere
“What, then, is this new man, the American? They are a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes. From this promiscuous breed, that race, now called Americans, have arisen.”
“What, then, remains but that we still should cry, For being born, and, being born, to die?”
“What, then, shall a Catholic Christian do ... if some novel contagion attempt to infect no longer a small part of the Church alone but the whole Church alike? He shall then see to it that he cleave unto antiquity, which is now utterly incapable of being seduced by any craft or novelty.”
“What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: A day that reveals to him, more than all other days of the year, the gross injustices and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham.”
“What, unless biological science is a mass of errors, is the cause of human intelligence and vigour? Hardship and freedom: conditions under which the active, strong, and subtle survive and the weaker go to the wall; conditions that put a premium upon the loyal alliance of capable men, upon self-restraint, patience, and decision. And the institution of the family, and the emotions that arise therein, the fierce jealousy, the tenderness for offspring, parental self-devotion, all found their justification and support in the imminent dangers of the young.”
“What, what am I to do with all of this life?”
Source: The world of Gwendolyn Brooks
“What, when drunk, one sees in other women, one sees in Garbo sober.”
“What, with my tongue in your tail? nay, come again, Good Kate; I am a gentleman.”
Source: The Taming of the Shrew: Second Series
“What," I said, "is that a crime here or something? Like only buying one thing at the Gas/Gro?”
Source: Along for the Ride
“What-e're thou art, Act well thy part.”
“What-ifs are for fools”
“What-ifs are for fools. We are here because are meant to be.”
“What-so-ever the mind has ordained for itself, it has achieved”
“What-what do you want?" Annabeth asked, trying to maintain a tone of confidence. The voice cackled maliciously. 'To curse you, of course! To destroy you thousand times in the name of Mother Night!' "Only a thousand times?" Percy murmured. "Oh, good...I thought we were in trouble.”
“What... are you?" she choked out. "No sunlight. Funky choppers." he inhaled raggedly. "Take a guess.”
Source: Lover Eternal: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood
“What...can the government do to help the poor? The only answer is the libertarian answer: Get out of the way.”
“What...what are you doing?" "I won't know," he said with a grin. He took a step towards me. "But I'm pretty sure you were doing it too.”
“What.” Oh, for God’s sake. “Fine. Why wouldn’t it ever work out?” “Because I was, and I remain, utterly and completely and totally… in love with you.” Qhuinn’s mouth dropped open.”
Source: Lover At Last: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood
“What: is the jay more precious than the lark because his feathers are more beautiful?”
“What? 'Borderline patients play games'? That what you said? Ernest, you'll never be a real therapist if you think like that. That's exactly what I meant earlier when I talked about the dangers of diagnosis. There are borderlines and there are borderlines. Labels do violence to people. You can't treat the label; you have to treat the person behind the label. (17)”
“What? A great man? I only ever see the ape of his own ideal.”
“What? Are you still pretending you are separate from the Beloved?”
“What? Corpus. Body. Corpse. Good idea the Latin. Stupifies them first. Hospice for the dying. They don't seem to chew it; only swallow it down.”
Source: Ulysses
“What? do I love her, that I desire to hear her speak again, and feast upon her eyes”
Source: Making Sense of Measure for Measure! a Students Guide to Shakespeare's Play (Includes Study Guide, Biography, and Modern Retelli
“What? Don't British women know how to use their knees?”
Source: Austenland: A Novel
“What? Had a dry spell of killing people lately? (Susan) As a matter of fact, yes. If it doesn’t end soon, I might get out of practice. (Otto)”
“What? I bring joy to the world. I am filled with mirth and sunlight. Also, I am Batman.”
“What? I have a cold. Don’t get a look of terror on your face. The worst that could happen is that you’ll get a cold, too. You don’t have to theatrically Purell a thousand times a day and look all panicky every time I come into the room.”
Source: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
“What? I'm not ashamed to admit that random things remind me of Harry Potter.”
“What? Is that boy crazy?" "Most young men his age are somewhat crazy, I think," Sazed said with a smile. "However, this is hardly unexpected. Haven't you noticed how he stares at you when you enter a room?" "I thought he was just creepy.”
Source: Mistborn Trilogy
“What? It's my job as best friend to make sure he's not a serial killer. Or an English major, not sure which one's worse.”
Source: Significance: A Significance Novel
“What? It's not my fault I stab all the fanged people. They shouldn't look like Daimons. (Tabitha) I didn't look like a Daimon, but you stabbed me. (Valerius) Yeah, well, you looked like a lawyer so I had to kill you. It was a moral imperative. (Tabitha)”
Source: Seize The Night
“What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance.”
“What? My head doctor says I'm not supposed to censor my thoughts. It's part of my therapy.”
Source: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, Book 3)
“What? Okay, back up. How in the hell do you 'turn up missing'?”
“What? she said once to herself, and then once aloud, What? She felt a total displacement, like a spinning globe brought to a sudden halt by the light touch of a finger. How did she end up here, like this? How could there have been so much - so many moments, so many people and things, so many razors and pillows, timepieces and subtle coffins - without her being aware? How did her life live itself without her?”
Source: Everything Is Illuminated
“What? Sunday morning in an English family and no sausages? God bless my soul, what's the world coming to, eh?”
Source: The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries: Whose Body?, Clouds of Witness, and Unnatural Death
“What? Was he raised in a barn? Didn’t he ever learn how to close a door? Amateur shape-shifters…No manners whatsoever.” – Sasha “Do we need to get you a Midol before we go?” – Sundown “I’m not that easy to soothe, cowboy. My peeves are on a cellular level.” – Sasha”
“What? Was man made a wheel-work to wind up, And be discharged, and straight wound up anew? No! grown, his growth lasts; taught, he ne'er forgets: May learn a thousand things, not twice the same.”
Source: Robert Browning
“What? Was that a laugh? (Delphine) No. (Jericho) Yes, it was. I heard it. Holy cow, call Hermes to spread the news. I think I just started the end of the world…it has to be a sign of the apocalypse. (Delphine)”
“What? Were you born stupid, or did you just die that way?”
Source: Neal Shusterman's Skinjacker Trilogy: Everlost; Everwild; Everfound
“What? What am I 'bound to be feeling?' People don’t think anymore. They feel. 'How are you feeling? No, I don’t feel comfortable. I’m sorry, we as a group we’re feeling….' One of the great problems of our age is that we are governed by people who care more about feelings than they do about thoughts and ideas. Thoughts and ideas. That interests me. Ask me what I’m thinking.”
“What? You can't knit in the dark? Stuff and nonsense; anybody can. Shut your eyes. Knit one stitch. Open your eyes and look at the stitch; it's all right. Shut your eyes and knit two stitches. Open them. Shut them. Knit three stitches. Falling off a log is no comparison.”