Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., The fear that your service representative will retaliate after you have complained. v., To be afraid of bad service because you complained about it.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Phalloutbia
Created by: thegoatisbad
Pronunciation: Fal-out-be-ah
Sentence: Zinnia's diet had a few restrictions: "I can't eat oil, flour, meat or milk" she explained. Her tenancy to send back food that wasn't clearly a raw fruit or vegetable horrified Kimberly. "I would never send something back to the Kitchen. Do you know what goes on back there? Hatred, spit and vengeance." But Kimberly's warning meant nothing to Zinnia, "No phalloutbia is as strong as my desire to feel thin."
Etymology: fallout (effect, repercussion) + phobia (fear of)
Remorsel
Created by: swallowedbyafish
Pronunciation:
Sentence: He was instantly filled with remorsel after realizing the waiter was about to go do unspeakable things to his food.
Etymology: remorse + morsel
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
oops didn't mean to steal somebody else's idea...
sorry - swallowedbyafish, 2007-11-30: 22:53:00
----------------------------
Grumbleflinch
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: grum-bull-flinch
Sentence: The old woman was a well-known complainangst at the store. Despite receiving excellent service over the years she always seemed to grumbleflinch whenever she had to return a product. It was like she expected retailiation.
Etymology: grumble + flinch (complainant + angst)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Gotta love those cantankerous senior shitizens! - purpleartichokes, 2007-11-30: 10:27:00
----------------------------
Spitzophrenia
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: \spit-suh-free-nee-uh\
Sentence: Julia developed a severe case of spitzophrenia, after sending her Chicken Marsala back because she thought it had been overcooked, once she heard the cook shouting and cursing in the kitchen -- all the way from her seat at the far end of the restaurant -- and she was certain she'd be gripenalized for it. She was sure it would be 'spit-for-tat' and was soon overwhelmed by protestanoia.
Etymology: spit - to eject saliva from the mouth (Old English, spātl - "spittle") + schizophrenia - a mental disorder characterized by delusions (from Greek, comb. of 'schízein' & 'phrén' - "split mind")
Compain
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: kum payn
Sentence: She felt good after her bitching session, but the compain would be along presently
Etymology: complain pain
Purchill
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: PUR-chil
Sentence: After Bob was overheard to quip: "In this restaraunt the only good waiters are the customers," the fickle-feel gaze of the head-waiter sent purchills of retailiation up his spine.
Etymology: 1. Purchill: a blend of purchase & chill: a depressing influence on the feelings. 2. Retailiation: (retail & retaliation)
Retailiate
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: rēˌtālēˌāt
Sentence: Richard already felt like the bottom rung on the ladder, working as a clerk in a discount shoe store. When a customer snapped her fingers and demanding immediate attention and referring to him as "Hey you", he knew he had to retailiate. First he made sure that each shoe he brought out was a half size smaller or narrower than what she needed. The ones she really loved were always out of stock. When she finally found a pair that she could shove her hoof into, he took her purchase to the register and mis-entered her information so that the transaction was rejected and he could announce in a not-too-quiet voice, "Mam, your card has been declined, do you have another?" The look on her face made all the aggravation worth it.
Etymology: retail: the sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale + retaliate: make an attack or assault in return for a similar attack
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
I know this clerk. What a jerk! - wayoffcenter, 2008-10-28: 07:00:00
you've obviously suffered through a retail job at some time - great word - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-28: 13:02:00
Diabolical! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 17:39:00
----------------------------
Gripesniperr
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: gripe-SNIPE-air.....(can be pronounced with a mock French accent)
Sentence: Petula stopped at the local Serbo-Croatian restaurant on the way home from her assertiveness training seminar. The tripe was not up to snuff, and when the waiter brought her a flaccid eclair, she sent it back to the chef after browbeating the waiter who delivered it. As the minutes crawled ominously by, Petula was seized by a sudden GRIPESNIPERR....perhaps she was being too hard on the "Beav"- he was only waiting tables to pay off that AK-47 he brought from his homeland. An exorbitant tip might compensate for her hasty harangue, but by then it could be too late....Milosh might be a real GRIPESNIPER....err....."Czech, Please."
Etymology: GRIPE+SNIPE+ERR=GRIPESNIPERR...........GRIPE:to complain with grumbling;Middle English, from Old English grīpan; akin to Old High German grīfan to grasp, Lithuanian griebti.....SNIPE:shoot at exposed individuals from a usually concealed point of vantage.....ERR:to make a mistake,to violate an accepted standard of conduct, especially in an eatery of suspiciously vague ethnic origin; Middle English, from Anglo-French errer, from Latin errare to wander, err; akin to Old English ierre wandering, perverse, Gothic airzeis deceived.
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Can't identify that snack? Lookee here:
http://www.hanttula.com/exhibits/mofa/ - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 01:47:00
Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that’s bad for you! ~Tommy Smothers
- metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 02:11:00
merde! she got away just in time - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-28: 12:59:00
Yes, Petula was just being Prague-matic! - Nosila, 2008-10-28: 13:59:00
----------------------------
Gaffatwaphobia
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: gaff at waff o bee a
Sentence: Her gaffatwaphobia was so intense that she called all of the teddy bears she gave as gifts to her nephews and nieces after herself, for fear of reprecussions.
Etymology: Gaff fatwa phobia
Revengeservice
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Be careful what you wish outloud for...
Etymology:
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram~ James
remistram - 2007-11-30: 10:14:00
I admit - one of my paranoias....
purpleartichokes - 2007-11-30: 13:49:00
Thanks for all the great definitions Remi!
By the way, Remistram also gets a credit for yesterday's definition. She originally submitted her definition about compulsive sniffing in June, so I have added her name to the credits which she shares with kabloozie. Thanks! ~ James
silveryaspen - 2008-12-09: 01:06:00
Am I the only one confounded by the previous verbotomies being show as new ones, along with the re-run of the definition? When we go to vote for the new verbotomies, it's going to be confusing to vote for the new verbotomies instead of the old verbotomies.
logarithm - 2008-12-09: 04:24:00
A re-run, huh? I think it's ok to mix the old and new verbotomies together, and let people vote for their favourites. New verbotomies are great, but some of the old ones might still be the better ones. p/s Silveryaspen: I am back! ;-)
wayoffcenter - 2008-12-09: 05:31:00
But old games have already been decided and have major point advantages over any new entries. It stops regular contributors from playing. They already have a word entered for this contest.
logarithm - 2008-12-09: 07:02:00
It's a contest?
Hey Silvery et al, Oops! Double replay. I have now updated today's definition. See it here: Isn't it a bit early to be wearing Christmas decorations? Be creative, James
Yes, logarithm, it's a game. We have daily and weekly winners. The winning word of the day gets printed in the "b", Baltimore's free daily newspaper. See: b the paper. ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James