Vote for the best verboticism.

'I feel sorry for these poor sardines.'

DEFINITION: n., A feeling of discomfort, common while sitting on a plane or train, created by the sense that you are about to be decapitated by your fellow passengers who are tilting aggressively towards you. v. To sit in a very small space, which seems to be getting smaller.

Create | Read

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.

Crimpinge

metrohumanx

Created by: metrohumanx

Pronunciation: krim-PIN-ge (crimpingement,crimpinged)

Sentence: RedundantRay was pleased and delighted with his new job as an undercover consumer satisfaction consultant for SkyHigh Airlines. In his short yet brief career he had suggested many small, tiny improvements and modifications which had saved the airline a lot of money and cash. The greatest and most important of these were his recommendations that by slowly and gradually reducing and decreasing the size and dimensions of the fold-down trays and shrinking the available leg room available to each passenger, SkyHigh could eventually increase the number of seats on each L-1011 and no one would notice. On his latest undercover flight from Tierra Del Fuego, the small yet diminutive Korean tourist in front of him began to CRIMPINGE on his personal space, slowly ratcheting her seat into the reclining horizontal position which stifled and cut off the blood supply to Ray's lower extremities and legs, inducing an accidental Heimlich Manoever that propelled the tiny Sardinian fish he was choking on the length of the cabin. RedundantRay's CRIMPINGEMENT made it impossible to hail a flight attendant or stewardess. Imprisoned thus, Ray was only able to regret his stupid, foolish space-saving suggestions which had turned this tedious, arduous flight into a flying airborne version of The Black Hole Of Calcutta. Just before he blacked out into unconsciousness, Ray wondered if his frequent-flier miles would be awarded posthumously after he was dead and gone.

Etymology: CRIMP+imPINGE=CRIMPINGE.....CRIMP: to cause to become wavy, bent, or pinched,to form into a desired shape, to pinch or press together (as in passengers) in order to seal;Dutch or Low German krimpen to shrivel; akin to Middle Dutch crampe hook, cramp.....IMPINGE: to strike or dash especially with a sharp collision or a slow squeezing action;Latin impingere, from in- + pangere to fasten, drive in.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Save BIG monies! Fly with confidence: http://www.skyhighairlines.com/main.asp - metrohumanx, 2008-11-20: 02:06:00

metrohumanx Correct me if I'm wrong. - metrohumanx, 2008-11-20: 02:07:00

I like this word best! Voted for it! - logarithm, 2008-11-20: 08:40:00

Fantastic. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-11-20: 16:13:00

tAIRiffic word! I could hardly t'AIR my eyes away from it. - Nosila, 2008-11-20: 19:00:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Cramsportation

karenanne

Created by: karenanne

Pronunciation: kramz por TAY shun

Sentence: Packer didn't know what was a worse or more crowded way of getting to his relatives' house for the holidays, StuffWest Airlines or the JamTrak train. He considered driving the ten hours just to cut down on the physical and olfactory invasion to his personal space. Finally, his family decided on having their Thanksgiving dinner by computer conferencing. It was cheaper, and more importantly, it cut down on disputes and drama!

Etymology: cram + transportation

| Comments and Points

Claustraught

Created by: LordRahlsFav

Pronunciation:

Sentence: I was feeling quite claustraught as the seat moved further and further back. I regretted my decision to be claustraught in economy class.

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Closetrophobia

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: klose/tra/foe/beea

Sentence: Owing to my closetrophobia, I wear a wide brimmed hat and a hoola hoop at all times to define my personal space.

Etymology: close + claustrophobia

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

I'd say that outfit would be pretty effective in keeping people away from you alright. - galwaywegian, 2008-01-29: 07:00:00

lol ... nice clothes additions! Terrific creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-29: 09:08:00

great word again! You'll be fine in Southern Belle fancy dress too!!! - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 21:49:00

Good Word. Hoopla! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-30: 16:16:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Squeezychair

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: SKWEEZ-ee-chair

Sentence: As the 500lb Sumo wrestler quaked tectonically to and fro in the seat immediately in front of his, Bob, affright with feelings of crambivalence and queasychairness, focused firmly upon the likelihood of being squeezychaired, or the slim hope of having a fabulous fortnight in The Phillippines.

Etymology: SQUEEZYCHAIR: blend of squeezy: to be press forcibly together; compressed, tightly packed together & CHAIR: a seat, esp. for one person, usually having (four) legs for support and a rest for the back and often having rests for the arms. CRAMBIVALENCE: blend of CRAM: to press something into something else; jam or cram beyond the normal comfortable capacity, as on a plane or train & AMBIVALENCE: similar conflicting feelings; mixed feelings of uncertainty or emotion, as between safety & unsafety.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Wonderful word for any air line seat ... or any public seat! Slips into the mind and stays with a smile then t slides off the tongue so nicely! - silveryaspen, 2008-11-20: 08:00:00

libertybelle So clever! I like crambivalence too! - libertybelle, 2008-11-20: 09:42:00

super - Jabberwocky, 2008-11-20: 11:40:00

metrohumanx Concentrated essence of humor and fear! - metrohumanx, 2008-11-21: 08:26:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Croosht

Created by: silveryaspen

Pronunciation: Cr-oo-sht

Sentence: Cubicles. in many work places, always give that croosht feeling, as one contemplates what will be the next to swoop down on you ... boss, customer, or even falling files!

Etymology: From roost meaning to sit and cramped meaning without sufficient space and crush in the sense of quashed or squashed.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

I often feel croosht - nice word - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-29: 10:45:00

fun word to say quickly over and over! - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 21:54:00

Pithy & pertinent- I like it! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-30: 16:15:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Claustract

Created by: ErWenn

Pronunciation: /ˌklɔsˈtɹækt/ /klaws-TRACT/

Sentence: I was certain that the walls had started to claustract on me and I suddenly knew what James Bond must feel like.

Etymology: from Latin claustrum "a bolt, place shut in" + English contract "to draw together"

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Claustraction might be cause to unsheath James Bonds claws in the jaws of such a death trap. Your sentence sure gives a strong image to your creation! Interesting! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-29: 09:53:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Economyclasstrophobia

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: ee kono mee klas tro fo beea

Sentence: John thought, "No wonder there's air rage these days. The planes are getting smaller, the line up at security takes longer than the actual flight. A 2 hour flight ends up in an 8 hour outing just to get where you need to go. You either have to buy food in the after security spaces at grossly inflated prices or purchase something to eat on the airplane at even more grossly inflated prices. The headphones for the movie rarely work. The crew are always on skeletal staff levels and forget trying to turn around in the toilet". After these happy thoughts John was fighting to overcome his economyclasstrophobia, as the seat in front of his slowly edged towards his head. "Seriously, he thought, does that girl really need eyemask and reclined seating for this 20 minute flight??? Next time, I'm driving", he vowed.

Etymology: Economy Class (the cheapest class of air or rail travel) & Claustrophobia (a morbid fear of being closed in a confined space)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Classy word for what "cheap" air travel has become! - splendiction, 2010-04-19: 21:40:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Seatraction

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: seet/trak/shun

Sentence: Whenever John flew and had to sit in the middle isle, Murphy's Law of seatraction always seemed to come into play. On either side of him twin 300 pounders always made him feel cozy and crushed for the full six hour flight.

Etymology: seat + contraction

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Interesting combo! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-29: 09:12:00

I first thought of your word as seat attraction which would make sense if the seat on either side got closer - great word - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-29: 13:28:00

good word! twelve hours in traction after the flight to straighten out the limbs would do the trick... but not with the 300 pounders as the weights! - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 22:21:00

John - Go by sea next time ! good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-30: 16:17:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Boeingconstrictor

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: bow/ing/constrictor

Sentence: I got swallowed up by a boeingconstrictor on my last flight.

Etymology: boeing aircraft + boa constrictor

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Hilarious! lol! - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 18:38:00

great wordplay. There's also the tight constricted feeling for your etymology too. - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 21:45:00

Good one, bookowl! If the passenger is not sitting on the aisle, would that make them a window viper? - Nosila, 2008-01-29: 22:48:00

Great word for all the planes with their cramped seating ... Right on! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-29: 23:57:00

Clever & funny! Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-30: 16:14:00

Good one! - chaiandallthatjazz, 2008-01-31: 10:55:00

Did you hear about the man who crossed a parrot with a boa constrictor. He didn't know what he got, but believe me, when it talks-he listens. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-02-05: 19:44:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-29: 04:10:00
Today's definition was suggested by gemmgemms. Thank you gemmgemms. ~ James

silveryaspen - 2008-01-29: 09:30:00
Evocative cartoon ... crushed-people like sardines in a tinned-canny airplane with that overpowering fishy smell closing in on everything! Very clever!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-30: 01:10:00
Hey Silveryaspen, Thanks for the kind words. Smells like croosht shoup ~ James

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2008-11-20: 02:19:00
Excellent word. Makes me wonder who that was and what they were chanting.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-04-19: 00:03:00
Today's definition was suggested by gemmgemms. Thank you gemmgemms. ~ James