Careful Words

property (n.)

  Property has its duties as well as its rights.

Thomas Drummond (1797-1840): Letter to the Landlords of Tipperary.

  Custom hath made it in him a property of easiness.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Hamlet. Act v. Sc. 1.

  Bion insisted on the principle that "The property of friends is common."

Diogenes Laertius (Circa 200 a d): Bion. ix.

  One of the sayings of Diogenes was that most men were within a finger's breadth of being mad; for if a man walked with his middle finger pointing out, folks would think him mad, but not so if it were his forefinger.

Diogenes Laertius (Circa 200 a d): Diogenes. vi.