Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. The feeling of anxiety created by the realization that you've arrived at a social event "wearing the wrong thing". v. To arrive at a social function and suddenly realize that you are you are completely over-dressed or worse -- under-dressed!
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.
Fauxparel
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: fo par el
Sentence: Mitch, the Aussie hunk in the office, showed up at Brenda's house wearing nothing but a skimpy speedo, high heels and Drag Queen make-up and jewels. Brenda in her best dress suit was shocked. With her boss and co-workers present and aghast, Mitch had a feeling of fauxparel...or in his case, fauxperil. To answer her dismayed expression, he said, "You did say it was a Gayla tonight, right?" To which she replied, "I said, GALA, not Gayla and how is it you just happened to have all this campy gear"? "Now I feel like a right flaming Galah!" cried Mitch.
Etymology: Faux Pas (French, literally false step...a socially awkward or tactless act) & Apparel (clothing in general;provide with clothes or put clothes on) P.S. Galah (Australian term for a Rose Breasted Cockatoo. "Galah" is also derogatory Australian slang, synonymous with 'fool' or 'idiot'. Because of the bird's distinctive bright pink, it is also used for gaudy dress.
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COMMENTS:
Hilarious! Terrific blend, Nosila! - splendiction, 2010-05-06: 21:35:00
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Briefgrief
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: breef - greef
Sentence: Polly was not happy with Roger when he showed up to her art gallery opening wearing short shorts and a tee. Roger started to feel a bit of briefgrief as he realized that he should have donned a bit more formal apparel.....
Etymology: Brief - Close fitting, knitted undergarment with an elastic waistband, with or without an overlapping fly front, concise and succint + grief - mental suffering arising from any cause, as misfortune, loss of friends, misconduct of one's self or others, etc
Clothesbasketcase
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: close - bas - ket - case
Sentence: Tom, master in dressing, wore a feather in his cap. Tom went skinny dipping. Undressed down to his bare bones, he felt a bit disarmed. Tom wanted to spice things up with his finely-feathered girlfrhend, so he tried dressing sagely. Alas! Tom was not sage enough, to avoid a turkey trot down the aisle. In tux and tails, he felt a bit awfowl. He was a tad wedding disdressed. No matter! Whatever he wore, he'd feel like a clothes basket case.
Etymology: Clothes - dress/attire. Basket Case: anyone suffering severe nervous strain
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COMMENTS:
Fowl play indeed, silveryaspen! He'll be hen-pecked for sure for plucking this girl...with a drumstick. Poultry in motion. - Nosila, 2008-02-25: 00:57:00
Wow, with that feather in his cap - makes me think of Yankee Doodle! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-02-25: 19:19:00
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Cladaclysm
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /klad-uh-kliz-um/
Sentence: Jason figured that the 'Save the Rainforest' fundraiser that Debbie had invited him to would be attended by a bunch of hippies and tree-huggers. When he showed up in a tie-dye tee shirt and Birkenstock sandals at the 'black tie' event, it was a total cladaclysm — Jason was terribly embarrassed, and Debbie was simply mortified.
Etymology: Clad - clothed or dressed; covered in material (Old English, clāthod "clothed") + Cataclysm - a disaster [natural or social] (from Greek, kataklysmós "flood")
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COMMENTS:
Oh, Father, pray for our clothes now and at the time of our disdress! Leaving religion out of it, it's a spectacular creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-25: 12:54:00
Good word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-02-25: 19:20:00
Man, I woulda done the same thing as Jason. Only I'd have worn a black tie to go with my tye dye shirt. - ErWenn, 2008-02-25: 19:59:00
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Dissdress
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: disss dr eh ss
Sentence: This dissing adressed at her dissdress distressed her, she stressed as she distressed her long tresses.
Etymology: distress diss dress
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COMMENTS:
Ess-entially terrific! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-25: 12:59:00
how disscourteous - Jabberwocky, 2008-02-25: 13:40:00
Sounds like someone needs a good dressing down! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-02-25: 19:13:00
It captured all parts of the defninition! Not many words expressed the 'anxiety' in the definition! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-25: 21:28:00
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Bluetie
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /ˈblu ˈtaɪ/
Sentence: My plaid shorts and tye-dye t-shirt were definitely inappropriate for the formal dance, but then again, they'd probably be blue-tie for just about any situation.
Etymology: indicating the wrong color tie with respect to a "black tie" or "white tie" dress code
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COMMENTS:
You collared it! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-25: 12:52:00
So very clever! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-02-25: 19:23:00
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Fiasclothes
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: fee/as/klohz
Sentence: It was embarrassing and a total fiasclothes when I showed up to my boss' daughter's Baptism in shorts, T-shirt, bathing suit, towel and a case of beer. I didn't quite read the invitation past the address 2206 Sunnyside Beach. Unfortunately, it was Sunnyside Beach United Church.
Etymology: FIASCLOTHES - noun - from FIASCO (A complete, or ridiculous failure) + CLOTHES (garments for the body; wearing apparel)
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COMMENTS:
Excellently crafted word, sentence and etymology. - silveryaspen, 2008-12-08: 12:39:00
This is a great word which totally hits the definition!! - mweinmann, 2008-12-09: 10:29:00
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Sadtired
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sad ty erd
Sentence: Mona was humiliated when she asked her boyfriend to meet her at her boss' house for a luncheon. She specifically told him that it was a speed lunch..he thought she said speedo lunch and arrived pitifully sadtired for the event!
Etymology: Sad (bad; unfortunate) & Attired ( dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination)
Tangsttop
Created by: TheStorialist
Pronunciation:
Sentence: After seeing her son's teacher's eyes perusing her cleavage during the conference, Jane realized she'd pulled a tangsttop by wearing such a revealing camisole.
Etymology: Tank top + angst
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James