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.
Spitangst
Created by: Pancake
Pronunciation: spih-TANG-kst
Sentence: Tom felt a bit of spitangst after he had his burger returned to the kitchen.
Etymology: Spit (ejection of saliva from the mouth) + Angst (a feeling of dread). Origininating from an urban fear that employees preparing food in restaurants might spit on a customer's meal if the customer is being particularly demanding or picky.
Counterattack
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: counter attack
Sentence: No sooner had Nelly complained to the insurance officer across the service desk about the poor quality of the repairer's work on her storm-damaged roof, she felt that coil of fear in her stomach. Would this woman counterattack with quick thrust of her letter opener, or was she in for a year delay in getting the ruined carpet replaced.
Etymology: counter attack (retaliation) + counter (where one obtains service in a shop or service centre)
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
Retrifarction
Created by: schoolmarm
Pronunciation: ret/ruh/FARK/shun
Sentence: Seconds after she mentioned her dirty spoon to the waiter, she suffered a massive retrifarction and had to be removed from the restaurant.
Etymology:
Sabophobic
Created by: logarithm
Pronunciation: sa.bo·fo.bik sab′ə fo bIk
Sentence:
Etymology: Sabotage - A deliberate act of destruction or disruption in which equipment is damaged. Phobic - suffering from irrational fears.
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COMMENTS:
Sabophobic is real textbook material. - metrohumanx, 2008-11-19: 20:27:00
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Bitchback
Created by: wayoffcenter
Pronunciation: bich bak
Sentence: Milley had a BMW personality (bitch, moan,whine) to the point that she didn't even notice she was doing it. As such, she was often the recipient of bitchback. She would bitch about an appetizer and get a lousy entree. She would moan about long lines and it would take extra days for checks to clear at the bank. She would whine about poor service and end up with even less. All this did was add fuel with which to rev up her BMW.
Etymology: bitch (express displeasure; grumble) + pitchback (a baseball practice device that bounces a ball back to a player
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COMMENTS:
Hey, I know this is an old contest but I missed it before so what the hey... - wayoffcenter, 2008-12-09: 05:26:00
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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
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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
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Disdress
Created by: attis
Pronunciation:
Sentence: After asking to speak to the manager, Helen was overcome with Disdress. After all, the call centre operator had her phone number!
Etymology: Distress/Redress
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COMMENTS:
cute word - Nosila, 2008-10-28: 23:48:00
...and clever:) - metrohumanx, 2008-10-29: 00:46:00
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Reciprocake
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: ri-sip-ruh-keyk
Sentence: After Joyce complained about her entrée she feared that the dessert she ordered might be a slice of reciprocake.
Etymology: reciprocate (to give and receive reciprocally; interchange) + cake (a sweet, baked, breadlike food, made with or without shortening, and usually containing flour, sugar, baking powder or soda, eggs, and liquid flavoring)
Whinerwager
Created by: remistram
Pronunciation: why-ner-wey-jer
Sentence: Her whinerwager came true, her pasta dish that was too cold came back in a flash steaming hot with a dust bunny on top.
Etymology: whiner (complainer) + wager (risk)
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