Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A clever remark, especially a "comeback line" to an insult, which does not come to mind until it is too late to be delivered; often leads to the gnashing of teeth. v. To think of something clever after it's too late.
Verboticisms
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Retrozinger
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: REH-tro-zyng-ir
Sentence: Several minutes after being Zapped with a major insult by Miriam, Leonard thought of a great comeback and wished he could go back and whack her with a retrozinger, convinced he would then be a 'winner'.
Etymology: Blend of 'retro' (prefix meaning 'backward : back') and 'zinger' (n. something causing or meant to cause interest, surprise, or shock)
Parrysoundbite
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: pary/sownd/byte
Sentence: Barry needed dental surgery after his latest parrysoundbite which of course went unheard
Etymology: parry (retort) + Parry Sound (Ontario town) + sound bite (hence gnashing of teeth)
Lateslate
Created by: Discoveria
Pronunciation: layte-slayte
Sentence: My lateslate "No, your mother's a gas-guzzling user-unfriendly air polluter!" came to me only three minutes later - when the damage had already been dished out.
Etymology: Late + slate (to insult)
Repartardy
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: re-par-tar-dy
Sentence: Mike could only deliver brilliant repartardy to his mirror long after his guests had gone. He longed to be quick and witty; however, he was tongue-tied while he was being verbally filleted by his friends' good natured bantering. As the Japanese proverb says: "He had many knives -- none of them sharp."
Etymology: repartee: swift, witty reply; a conversation marked with the exchange of witty retorts + tardy: arrive or occur after the expected time
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COMMENTS:
:) - galwaywegian, 2009-10-20: 12:47:00
Cutting and pointed! - Nosila, 2009-10-21: 01:25:00
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Verbotomissed
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: ver bott ommm ist
Sentence: He verbotomissed madly as she strutted into the dissedance
Etymology: vertobotomy, missed
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COMMENTS:
Verbotombest! - Nosila, 2009-10-21: 01:23:00
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Communiclation
Created by: pauliewog
Pronunciation: cuh-mune-i-clay-shun
Sentence:
Etymology:
Tardytort
Created by: PythianHabenero
Pronunciation: tar-dee-tort
Sentence: A half hour after being wittily insulted, Andrew came up with the best tardytort he'd ever heard.
Etymology: "tardy" as in late and "retort" as in comeback.
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by mplsbohemian.
Thank you mplsbohemian! ~ James
mplsbohemian - 2007-04-03: 11:13:00
Thanks for using the definition! I specifically chose it because the French expression for this is notoriously difficult to succinctly translate into English. Perhaps you guys can help! Peace Clint
Ah oui, "l'ésprit de l'escalier"... Merci pour la suggestion, mplsbohemian ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by mplsbohemian. Thank you mplsbohemian. ~ James