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'Eat! Or you'll turn into a boneless chicken.'

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.

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Verboticisms

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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:)

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Hyperbmonition

mrskellyscl

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

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Pambea

Created by: ericsimmons39

Pronunciation: Pam-bee-a

Sentence: Mom and Dad keep telling me to eat my vegetables or I'll turn into a license plate. I'm so sick of all their pambea!

Etymology: Parental+ Advice+ Meaningless+ But+ Emotionally+ Affecting

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Bullfear

Created by: staggolee

Pronunciation: BULL-Fear

Sentence: Grandma's bullfear haunted the child's imaginings for the rest of his life.

Etymology:

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Lieperbole

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: līpərbəlē

Sentence: ”If you make a face, it could get stuck that way”, ”Behave because Santa is watching”, ”This is for your own good”. Many parents use lieperbole to keep their children in line.

Etymology: lie (an intentionally false statement) + hyperbole (exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally)

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COMMENTS:

Very nice. For the win, in my opinion. - mchristof, 2011-06-12: 23:50:00

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Emochide

Created by: AlohaJo

Pronunciation: E-mo-ch-I-de

Sentence: The boy, after disobeying his father's warning, had to sit through a lengthy emochide.

Etymology: emotional+ chide

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Humumbug

vixphilia

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

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Momsense

Created by: TJayzz

Pronunciation: Mom-sen-s

Sentence: Linda was full so of momsense when it came to bringing up little Donald, she was forever telling him to eat his crusts to make his hair curly and that carrots would make him see in the dark. Being only four years old he thought his mum knew everything, he would constantly gaze into the mirror waiting for his curls to appear, and lie awake in the early hours desperate to have night vision.

Etymology: Mom(North American term for Mum) Sense(purpose,reason)(see Nonsense) = Momsense

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx And Donald grew so tall from stepping in cow dung. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 06:04:00

If he was like me and my bro, he wondered why mom never brought home the kind of spinach with the rip open can like Popeye. - lumina, 2008-08-29: 15:32:00

Love your word,TJayzz... - Nosila, 2008-08-29: 20:10:00

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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.

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Wisdumb

Created by: scola

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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COMMENTS:

vixphilia 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

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-09-28: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-01-20: 00:25:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James