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.
Mythconduct
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /mith-kon-dukt/
Sentence: Donna stared wistfully at her friends splashing in the pool, and glanced up at the clock again — it'd been only 53 minutes since she'd eaten that banana — seven more minutes before she could go back in the pool. Her mother had warned her many times that going into the water less than an hour after eating would inevitably cause cramps, which were somehow always fatal. 'Would she die from drowning or from the cramps themselves?' she wondered. What if she just dangled her legs in the water? No, it was just too risky. She couldn't overcome the mythconduct her mother had instilled into her. Six minutes and forty five seconds to go...
Etymology: Myth - any invented story, idea, or concept (from Greek, mythos "speech, story") + Conduct - personal behavior; way of acting (from Latin, conductus "to lead or bring together")
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
I always doubted this prohibition. I even sent it in to "Mythbusters"....to no avail. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 06:00:00
Well, Mythbusters did prove that you shouldn't spin around in a makeshift wirlpool too soon after eating pizza. Funny episode. But I'm convinced that the 1-hour 'no swimming' rule is nonsense. But I knew kids whose mothers wouldn't even let them stand in the wading pool because of that rule. - Tigger, 2008-08-29: 10:12:00
Good word - TJayzz, 2008-08-29: 13:43:00
Welcome back, Tigger, we mythed you! - Nosila, 2008-08-29: 20:09:00
This one is my favorite, well done! - Rehlit, 2008-09-01: 00:50:00
Good word there Tigger, it has a nice ring to it! I like the way you think :) - abrakadeborah, 2009-03-14: 19:07:00
----------------------------
Humumbug
Created by: vixphilia
Pronunciation: hum-MUM-bug
Sentence: Mum was feding me her usual humumbug: "If you keep making ugly faces,it will freeze like that!"
Etymology: Humbug: pretentious or silly talk Mum: Mother
Exaggerisk
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: ex - aj - ur - isk
Sentence: Shelly tended to exaggerisk when she talked to her boys about the dangers lurking in the neighborhood. She was a bit paranoid after seeing the movie about vampires infiltrating rural towns where they might go unnoticed.
Etymology: exaggerate, risk
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Mom is just making sure her kids are exaggeready. - artr, 2010-01-20: 12:31:00
There's a New Moon at Twilight! - Nosila, 2010-01-20: 19:23:00
----------------------------
Chickshtick
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: chik - shtik
Sentence: Samancluck warned her little one to not peep too loud or her eyes would bug out.... It was just more of her chickshtick, designed to get her little one to behave.
Etymology: Chick (baby chicken) + Schtick (gimmick)
Wisdumb
Created by: scola
Pronunciation:
Sentence:
Etymology:
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Loved it! - vixphilia, 2007-09-28: 16:55:00
I love it,too! Potential to fill a whole library section. For starters. what about "The Wisdumb of Pol Pot" or "The Wisdumb Of Jim Jones" & the plethora of political leaders, preachers and philosophers! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:14:00
----------------------------
Poultrygeist
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: pol tree guyst
Sentence: Chickenita Bantama had a hard time persuading her youngest chick,Henny Youngman, to eat his feed. She finally had to resort to scare tactics and told him the tale of the poultrygeist. It was a scary ghost chicken that came after little chicks that did not eat up their supper. It worked for her, even if some thought it was fowl play...Happy Halloween!
Etymology: Poultry (a domesticated gallinaceous bird) & Poltergeist (a ghost that announces its presence with rapping and the creation of disorder)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
LOVING YOUR STORIES - DrWebsterIII, 2012-10-31: 11:24:00
----------------------------
Scarefication
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: skair-uh-fi-key-shuhn
Sentence: Mother hen believes in the use of scarefication to keep her chicks in line. A little lie here, an exaggeration there, all pecked into their little psyches until they are afraid to do anything wrong.
Etymology: scare (to fill, especially suddenly, with fear or terror; frighten; alarm) Scarification (scratching, etching, burning/branding, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification)
Parentrauma
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: PAIR-ehn-trah-mah
Sentence: Though her intentions were good the cautionary advice she gave her kiddies was always extreme and always created excessive parentrauma in their little minds and hearts.
Etymology: Blend of the words 'parent' and 'trauma' (an experience that produces psychological injury or pain)
Behaviorelseoid
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: bee-HAY-vee-uhr-ELSE-ohyd
Sentence: " I can tell if you're lying - just by feeling your nose." I told little Tommy. With a scream of terror he covered his face like a three foot tall Bela Lugosi and ran home crying. My use of a common BEHAVIORELSEOID works every time, flushing out little untruths wherever they might be lurking. The incident was witnessed by little Laura, who later explained that "There are more blood vessels in the nose." Although there may be some guilt associated with the use of BEHAVIORELSEOIDS in modern childrearing, experts have justified it's use as a potent counterbalance to "freezer experiments", "suspiciously quiet bedrooms" and hilariously blantant lies. By the way, why are there eleven eggs in the fridge and one in the hedges? Someone was trying to HATCH one, weren't they? Come on, let me feel your nose.....
Etymology: BEHAVIor+OR ELSE+ -OID= BEHAVIORELSEOID BEHAVIOR:the manner of conducting oneself ,anything that an organism or urchin does involving action and response to stimulation or uncertainty -alteration of Middle English behavour, from behaven.....OR ELSE: idiom meaning "Regardless of any extenuating circumstances- and I MEAN IT!".....-OID:suffix - something resembling an object or having a (specified) quality of fear inducing behavior modification.
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Q: What do Fred Sanford, Augie Doggie, Chuck Connors and Fred MacMurray have in common?.........................A:
http://www.tvdads.com/tvdads.shtml - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 07:52:00
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James