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.
Disdress
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: dis-dres
Sentence: As she stepped through the door of the formal affair, Sally felt nothing but disdress realizing that her low-cut red disdress was completely inappropriate.
Etymology: dis (short for disrespect) + distress (great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical or mental suffering; affliction; trouble) + dress (an outer garment for women and girls, consisting of bodice and skirt in one piece)
Misthreaded
Created by: kimmarie
Pronunciation: miss-threh-did
Sentence: He could never seem to get it right. Either too much or too little - he constantly misthreaded when trying to hit the fashion mark.
Etymology: From miss and threaded as in threading a needle.
Disaptusia
Created by: nickmarziani
Pronunciation: Dis-ap-too-zhah
Sentence: a powerful wave of disaptusia came over over Niles as he arrived at the party and realized he was offensively under-dressed.
Etymology: from the latin aptus meaning fitting or appropriate
Apparalysed
Created by: emdeejay
Pronunciation: Apparel eyes'd
Sentence: Todd was a creative and exuberant fellow whose wardrobe was so extensive, it had been described by his friends as being "Bigger than Texas". Unfortunately, his addiction to fashion had grown to be a very expensive habit, and had begun to place a great strain on his relationship with Betsy, his far more conservative partner. In an attempt to spice things up, Todd raced home one evening and adorned himself with a rather fetching pair of magenta underpants. Just as he was about to wrap himself in his favourite leopardskin loincloth, Betsy burst in, aghast! Poor Todd. He was normally apparalysed after he'd arrived at the party, not before he'd finished getting dressed!
Etymology: Apparel: see clothing. Paralysed: see Todd.
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COMMENTS:
Especially like the "eyes'd", as the magenta speedos have real impact on the vicariously apparelysed observer. - dochanne, 2008-12-08: 04:04:00
Captivating Create. Captures that feeling when everyone is staring, that makes us unable to move. - silveryaspen, 2008-12-08: 13:03:00
Magenta underwear-Bloody hell! Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-12-13: 16:08:00
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Miskit
Created by: Banky
Pronunciation: miss-kit
Sentence: Buttons looked around the conference room at the 234 perfectly identical faces and bodies, dressed all in charcoal grey suits. In eerie unison they all turned to look at him with cold dead eyes. Feeling quite miskit, he adjusted his rainbow wig, performed an awkward three-point-turn in his size 37 red patent leather shoes, and exited through the door he'd entered. He realized his mistake when he re-read the sign posted by the door, which in bold block letters announced, "Welcome clones!"
Etymology: misfit + kit (British slang for clothes)
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COMMENTS:
I like this one. - ErWenn, 2008-02-25: 10:11:00
clever - Jabberwocky, 2008-02-25: 13:31:00
Erupted in laughter picturing your clone-some miskit! Kit-catchy Creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-25: 13:44:00
Short & sweet! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-02-25: 19:21:00
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Emperormental
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: em-pera-men-tel
Sentence: Barenadette was highly emperormental when she made a grand entrance at what she thought was the Indy Ball in her nanokini, (after all it was October on the Gold Coast) only to find that the A1 crowd were a much more staid group. She should have worn her one piece swimsuit instead.
Etymology: emperor (Andersen's famous emperor was very temperamental when he realised that his new clothes in fact did not exist) + mental (state of mind) + temperamental (emotional)
Underduress
Created by: swallowedbyafish
Pronunciation: un-der-der-ess
Sentence: The death stares of the audience made him feel like he was in the middle of being interrogated by Jack Bauer. He realized he had underduressed.
Etymology: underdress + under duress
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COMMENTS:
This will stand up in any court of justice! Your sentence and word are lawesomely clever! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-25: 13:38:00
Your verboticism was one of the few that captures the 'feeling of anxiety' in the definition. I thought it excellent in every way! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-25: 21:25:00
I like it - bookowl, 2008-02-26: 13:30:00
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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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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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Fashunclutz
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: FASCH-un-clutz
Sentence: Having no idea what the notation 'black tie' meant on the invitation, when Delbert realized everyone else was in formal attire and he in his bermudas and sandals he realized he was being completely avoided and knew he was the fashunclutz of the year.
Etymology: Blend of fashion, shun, and clutz
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COMMENTS:
Great word. Excellent etymology. Always admire triple word plays. - silveryaspen, 2008-12-08: 12:50:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James