Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., Cautionary advice provided by parents to their children, often makes no logical sense but carries enough emotional weight to affect the child's behavior. v. To warn of danger through the judicious use of exaggeration.
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.
Improverbs
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: im-prov-erbz
Sentence: my parents kept us in line with a never ending stream of improverbs
Etymology: improv, proverbs
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Evcellent! - Scrumpy, 2007-09-28: 07:42:00
Fantastic words- Just what those mischievous imps need! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:02:00
----------------------------
Causham
Created by: Rehlit
Pronunciation: kaw-sham
Sentence: Many parents use an insidious causham to frighten their naughty children. Such as "If you eat watermelon seeds, a watermelon will grow in your stomach!"
Etymology: Caution(a warning against danger or evil; anything serving as a warning) + sham (something that is not what it purports to be; a spurious imitation; fraud or hoax; pretended; counterfeit; feigned:)
Mumsteer
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: mum-steer
Sentence: I gave up listening to my mother after one to many mumsteers.
Etymology: bum steer + mum
Rugrant
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: rug-rant
Sentence: To be an effective scarent, one must concoct enough plausible rugrants to guide the child safely to adolescence, such as the once popular "if you don't eat your crusts, you won't grow hair on your chest."
Etymology: rug rat, rant
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Fortunately I ate my crusts. Great word! - Scrumpy, 2007-09-28: 07:46:00
scarent's a good word too - Jabberwocky, 2007-09-28: 15:16:00
Great word. - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:04:00
----------------------------
Hyperbmonition
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: high-perb-mo--ni-tion
Sentence: Mom could come up with a great hyperbmonition when needed, especially where boys were concerned. As a result of her wise counsel, I haven't worn patent leather shoes since the fourth grade.
Etymology: hyperbole: figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect + monition: cautionary advice or counsel; admonition
Exaggerary
Created by: abrakadeborah
Pronunciation: ex-aj-er-rare-e
Sentence: Red was such an exaggerary clucker when it came to dealing with his baby chicks.
Etymology: Exagger- Taken in part from the word >Exaggeration-The act of exaggerating or overstating. Ary- A suffix occurring originally in loanwords. Also taken in part for the word cautionary.
Mamalore
Created by: thebaron
Pronunciation: ma-ma-lore
Sentence: Whenever we ate oranges and swallowed the seeds, Aunt Janet would spurt out some mamalore, saying that oranges trees would grow in our stomachs.
Etymology: mama (mother) lore (length/myth)
Radmomition
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: rad MOM ish in
Sentence: Growing up in an Irish household,the 6 siblings were all raised on a solid diet of good old radmomition. This included an assorted mix of superstitions (spilling salt requires you to throw some over your left shoulder), Aesop's fables(remember that grasshopper and the ant?), lessons from the Bible(Thou shalt not lie about who ate the baking out of the freezer) and old wives' tales(if you tell a lie, your nose will grow), guaranteed to scare even the toughest know-it-all kid into submission. It was never really understood how putting a hat on the bed or opening an umbrella indoors would bring about bad luck; how stepping on a crack could break your mother's back or how licking a frosty metal fence would make your tongue stick to it. (Okay, that on was really true, as one brother found out the hard way)! Yet all these tools were used by their mother to great effectiveness. People marvelled at how well-behaved 6 kids could be out in public. But one look from their Mom's omnipresent eye could nail them to a couch for hours on end, quietly, without a hint of physical persuasion. Santa's elves were watching you just before Christmas time (I mean really, weren't they too busy making toys?); God would be mad to learn you did not put your coins on the offering plate in Church (like does he count it all?)If there was no known adage to affect a situation, she simply would make one up. It was not until they were into their teens that they discovered the Ice Cream Man going around the neighbourhood played his twinkly songs when he still had goodies left to sell. They had always been told that the music was a sign he was sold out. The irony was that all these siblings went through higher education, got responsible jobs and used exactly the same radmomition tactics on their own children and grandchildren...May you be half an hour in Heaven before the Devil knows you're dead!
Etymology: Radical (a person who has out there ideas or opinions;used of opinions and actions far beyond the norm) & Admonition (cautionary advice about something imminent;counsel in terms of someone's behavior;warn strongly; put on guard) & Mom (female parent)& Superstition (an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear;folklore;omens of good and bad luck)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Oh MAN!!!!...You mean the ice cream man WASN'T sold out? - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 05:56:00
"Mom's omnipresent eye"....great turn of a phrase, Nosette. :) - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 08:11:00
Actual advice from an Alaskan native: Do NOT try to lick the glaciers. - Tigger, 2008-08-29: 10:34:00
Great "sentence!" :) - lumina, 2008-08-29: 15:46:00
----------------------------
Mytherhood
Created by: Scrumpy
Pronunciation: mith-er-hood
Sentence: Little Timmy believed the mytherhoods that his parents told him. He was completely suprised when he grew up and wasn't blind.
Etymology: myth + motherhood/fatherhood
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Hehe!! Great word too! - purpleartichokes, 2007-09-28: 13:12:00
Great word! :) - vixphilia, 2007-09-28: 16:53:00
Funny sentence, excellent word. Your "suburban legend" comment- also hysterical. - ScrabbledEgg, 2007-09-28: 18:02:00
Great word: bonza of a blend! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:03:00
----------------------------
Wreckommendation
Created by: kathleen
Pronunciation:
Sentence: It was growing up having heeded his Momma's wreckommendations that caused Dwight to spend every wednesday of his adult life on the couch.
Etymology: wreck + recommendation
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Great word! Add a pronunciation and get another point. - Scrumpy, 2007-09-28: 17:29:00
Very clever! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:06:00
----------------------------
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James