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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Resputtal
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: ree-SPUHT-uhl
Sentence: Alex choked on his resputtal of "Then I'll be sure to clear out my night schedule," a full hour after hearing, "I wouldn't give you the time of day."
Etymology: rebuttal + sputter
Latealine
Created by: Dolraith
Pronunciation: Late-a-line
Sentence: The next day I had a latealine to her remark...
Etymology:
Communiclation
Created by: pauliewog
Pronunciation: cuh-mune-i-clay-shun
Sentence:
Etymology:
Hindsightjibe
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: hynde syte jybe
Sentence: Drew was famous for his hindsightjibes. When that snotty drag queen walked passed him and told Drew his fly was down (well, she actually said that he had left the garage door open on his dinky car)...he got tongue-tied and froze up(and not just because he had left that door open). Upon reflection, he should have yelled at her that the back of her dress was tucked into the top of her panty hose and a big long piece of arsewipe was stuck to the heel of her stilettos. But then he thought that he would just leave it to cleavage...
Etymology: Hindsight (understanding the nature of an event after it has happened) & Jibe (an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect)
Tortard
Created by: zrotv
Pronunciation: tōr'tärd
Sentence: Her insult was witty and cutting. I dug deep in my repertoire for an equally eloquent response, not wanting to defer to simple comments about her mother. Finally it came and I released it to the now distant and distancing back of her head. My lack of haste had resulted in the ever embarrassing tortardation. My weak totard fizzled on absent ears. Why, oh why, was I doomed to tortardation?! (slang, pejorative, adj.: retortarded)
Etymology: retort (To reply, especially to answer in a quick, caustic, or witty manner) + retard / tard (To be delayed. Latin retardāre : re- + tardāre, to delay (from tardus, slow))
Longliner
Created by: jonobo
Pronunciation: longliner
Sentence: If i only could make those longliner come earlier somehow... ...maybe i simply should invent a quicker way to transmit my thoughts through my speech-centre to my tongue... perhaps i am a rare patient of longuetonguelitis.
Etymology: long + line = message comes late.
Comeslack
Created by: ziggy41
Pronunciation: (KUHM-slak)
Sentence: He sat in dismay as he had created a perfect comeslack to her nasty remark an hour ago.
Etymology: From "comeback" (a retaliation remark) and "slack" (slow or sluggish).
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COMMENTS:
What every woman wants? - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-03: 17:30:00
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Postrip
Created by: Alchemist
Pronunciation: POHST-rip
Sentence: As usual, Jimmy thought of a perfect postrip 2 days after Jeanine called him a lackwit: "I know you are, but what am I?"
Etymology: postscript, post (after), rip (as in to rip on someone verbally).
Delaverbovery
Created by: Jaxies
Pronunciation: /duh-luh-vurb-of-eree/
Sentence: "It was only five hours later that Chris thought of the perfect comeback to Andy's snide remark that 'you couldn't shag a sheep if you tried'. A perfect case of delaverbovery."
Etymology: Delay + verb + recovery
Badinaggro
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: bad-in-ar-gro
Sentence: Bob's OCD had led to him writing down all his badinaggros, creating a perpetual reminder of his inadequacy at repartee. Even worse were the badinagesaggro - remarks that he thought up at least a month after the insult.
Etymology: badinage (playful banter) + ago (in time past) + aggro (colloq. aggravation)
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