Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To simplify, dramatize and fictionalize scientific knowledge so that it appeals to a general audience. n. A scientific fact, which has been exaggerated and dumbed-down to make it more "interesting".
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.
Scienterrific
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: sīəntərifik
Sentence: The science programming on on John's favorite channel is very good at making mundane subjects scienterrific.
Etymology: science (the state of knowing) + terrific (extraordinary)
Sciperbole
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sy per bo lee
Sentence: Ed Speriment was the Grade 8 Science Teacher. It was not that he loved Science or knew anything about it, it was a choice between this class or teaching Sex Education (something he knew even less about and was not likely to learn). They do say the best way to learn something is to teach it, so Ed hoped that he could learn enough about the subject of Science to fool the little hooligans in his class at Hormone Junior High School. He exaggerated so many concepts and used simple tricks to try and get the curriculum through to unwilling minds. He called it his theory of Sciperbole. For Chemistry, he had success in showing Chemical reactions...which became a real Soap Opera. Who knew Bleach and Ammonia were not on speaking terms and brought the worst out in each other? Butyric Acid, yes it sure does smell like after your pregnant, single sister has had morning sickness. In Biology, he helped them see that old pizza under your bed, dead mice in the air vents or wet socks in your locker could grow whole new worlds of creatures. In Kinetics, he had them experiment at home. The volume of beer given to their Dads at night directly impacted the amount and timespan of inertia they observed of their paters on the couch, snoring in front of late-night paid programming. For Astronomy, he had them chart their horoscopes every day. (Everyone should be a Virgo until they get married, he would joke!) And Physics was easy, because he just showed them old Star Trek and Dr.Who shows to learn the salient words and concepts of time and space travel. (Yes, TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space-Question #25 on the final exam!) All the kids got A's and everyone loved Mr. Ed. for making Science fun, even if it wasn't very scientific!
Etymology: Science (a particular branch of scientific knowledge;ability to produce solutions in some problem domain) & Hyperbole (Exaggeration;to enlarge beyond bounds or the truth)
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COMMENTS:
All the kids at MoreScience Highschool owe you a debt of gratitude for your prolific contributions. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-30: 01:14:00
I'd like to thank the members of the Academy...oh no, that's for my Oscar! Cheers & Thanks. - Nosila, 2009-01-30: 01:22:00
great blend - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:17:00
Thoroughly enjoyed the class of Ed Speriment. Edceptional verbotomy, too! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-30: 16:06:00
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Simplescieman
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: simpel - sii - man
Sentence: Rufus just published a new book about Brain Surgery. It looks like the simplescieman version with lots of colored pictures, new "easy" words for the anatomy and loads of symbols (arrows, charts and little brains). He is hoping that it will be more understandable and, therefore, appeal to a wider audience. Unfortunately, it is about as educational as a quick game of Operation.
Etymology: Simple Simon + Science >> Simple Simon (a foolish fellow, a simpleton) Science ( the state of knowing : knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding, knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws)
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COMMENTS:
Simplescieman appeals to my "inner child"...I am a passionate practitioner of DIY surgery. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-30: 01:17:00
Perfect! - kateinkorea, 2009-01-30: 07:11:00
wonderful - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:18:00
Easy to say and remember, right on the definition, pun fun humorous, with readily apparent meaning! Simplescieman has it all! Super Duper! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-30: 15:48:00
Said Simplescieman to the Pi(π)man, let me taste your wares, Said the Pieman to Simplescieman, my Pi's aren't round, they're squared! Must be a good word if it is stuck in my head now! - Nosila, 2009-01-30: 17:54:00
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Spinflictosham
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: spin-FLICK-toe-sham (spinflictoshammer, spinflictoshammed)
Sentence: Albert, a sensitive but demented biologist, was taken aback when he flicked on his television and found out that the folks at LYSOL had managed to bio-engineer all household bacteria into frightening, agressive enemies the size of GUMMYBEARS! Regular soap kills 98 % of germs but- in order to promote sales of "antibacterial" products, corporate advertising mavens sought to frighten everyone by portraying innocuous germs as flesh-eating maggots from hell. Albert knew that this approach to increased sales was merely a persuasive bogus SPINFLICTOSHAM...perpetrated to scare caring parental units into purchasing "ECO"products which cost more, but were no more effective than grandma's home-made soap. Albert sent an e-mail in protest, but in the end he washed his hands of the whole affair.
Etymology: SPIN+inFLICT+"O"+SHAM=SPINFLICTOSHAM.......SPIN:to present (as information) with a particular spin,to stretch out or extend (as a story) lengthily; .....INFLICT:to give by or as if by striking ,to cause (something unpleasant) to be endured, especially false knowledge; Latin inflictus, past participle of infligere, from in- + fligere "to strike"....."O"-a 20th century connective trick used to fuse two words together (suds-o-mat).....SHAM: a trick that deludes, a hoax, cheap falseness, especially purporting to be based upon scientific knowledge; perhaps from English dialect sham "shame", alteration of English shame.
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COMMENTS:
BEWARE! Bogus science and magnetic insoles..... Lookee here: http://www.quackwatch.org/ - metrohumanx, 2009-01-30: 01:09:00
I thrive on rejection and encourage feedback. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-30: 01:29:00
Eco products are certainly de rigueur at the moment. I suspect many of them are the identical products but just re-labeled. - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:34:00
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Lowdumbdown
Created by: kateinkorea
Pronunciation: LOW dum DOWN
Sentence: I asked for his understanding of the lowdown on the new cloning technology, and the typical cognitwit that he is, he gave me the lowdumbdown version. He thinks he is so smart that he has to talk down to me. I think we should have him cloned just so we have two of him to send out for coffee from now on.
Etymology: LOWDOWN: the true and most important facts about something to know DUMBDOWN: an over-simplification of something thought to cause a decline in its quality or value
Dramscienplify
Created by: chaiandallthatjazz
Pronunciation: drom- sI-en- plif- I
Sentence: "Okay ladies and gentlemen, we have a few workshop options to choose from. Choose the one you are most comfortable with. There is no right answer. See the descriptions on the handout. The microbiology dramscienplify 101 workshop is in room 2; the microbiology workshop, room 1; and, oh," he murmurs, "microbiology comscienplify 101 is room 3. We hope you gain from the workshop, and please make sure to fill out the survey at the end of the workshop as our success depends on you. Thank you."
Etymology: drama + science + simplify / comedy + science + simplify
Cybertific
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sy ber tif fik
Sentence: With the advent of the computer age, no stone is left unturned in the quest for knowledge. To make scientific information digestible to the great masses, many sites have become cybertific. This means that domains of eminent scientists and years of research and investigation have been simplified so that anyone who can turn on a computer, can cut and paste deep information. Such data is then used by these sci-pirates on facebook and twitter to submit as their own assignments for school. Thank you Wikipedia.
Etymology: Cyber (relating to or characteristic of the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality) & Scientific (conforming with the principles or methods used in science)
Signce
Created by: splendiction
Pronunciation: SIGH ence
Sentence: The "butterfly effect" is the signce of chaos.
Etymology: signce n. from sign or signal and the word science.
Disneyse
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: diz neeeeeez
Sentence: He suffered from a wasting Disnease a condition where the evil, dark, shark-like thingies lock the good cells up in the spleen after a sleepover party for polly platelets first trip around the arteries went horribly wrong.
Etymology: Disease, Disney
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COMMENTS:
excellent - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:15:00
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Defactoid
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: de-fac-toid
Sentence: Due to the success of his book, "K-9 ET" (Extra-terrestrial Doggies), Fred became the defactoid authority on canine aliens. He was a popular guest on the talk show circut and, after appearances on Larry King and The Tonight Show, landed his own cable television show, called "Is Your Dog an Alien?"
Etymology: de:remove from + fact: truth -- defacto: dominant standard or law that exists because of common acceptance rather than authority + factoid: a "fact" that exists to create or manipulate public opinion - often applied to newsmedia accused of publishing untrue or unverified articles for the purpose of sensationalism.
Comments:
Verbotomy - 2009-01-30: 00:01:01
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James
metrohumanx - 2009-01-30: 00:09:00
Well put.
metrohumanx - 2009-01-30: 01:18:00
...and thank you for letting me "vent".
Verbotomy - 2009-01-30: 12:11:00
Thank you for venting! Obviously you are very gnawledgeable. ~ James
Verbotomy - 2010-08-16: 00:40:00
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James