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'Nothing clever to say?'

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.

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Verboticisms

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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

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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.

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Numback

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: nəmbak

Sentence: She cut him to the quick with her biting remark. All he had was a numback. Like the line from the Three Stooges, ”I’m trying to think but nothing happens”, He’s trying to speak but nothing happens.

Etymology: numb (deprive of feeling or responsiveness) + comeback (a quick reply to a critical remark)

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Retorture

Created by: Erikv

Pronunciation: re tort chur

Sentence: He knew he thought of a gem with the "jerk store" line but she was gone and he was left with retorture.

Etymology: Combination of retort and torture

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Wittischism

Created by: pinwheel

Pronunciation: wit/i/skiz/um

Sentence: John's wittischism was particularly acute as he replayed the argument in his mind three hours after the event.

Etymology: witticism (a clever remark) + schism (a division or break - in this case the break between the desire to retort and the actual thinking of the retort.

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COMMENTS:

a clever cut... - ajcor, 2007-04-03: 18:00:00

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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)

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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.

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Frappart

Created by: astraea22

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Retord

Created by: purpleartichokes

Pronunciation: ree-tord

Sentence: My clever retord about his ass being listed as a major source of global warming did not come to me until long after it could be effectively delivered.

Etymology: retort, retard

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COMMENTS:

I reckon this one is better than "retortoise" because the tortoise kicked the hair's major source of a problem the American government denies exists. - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-03: 17:35:00

*hare Duh! - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-03: 17:35:00

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Rejoinduh

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: re-join-der

Sentence: Bill's witty riposte to his annoying colleagues came too late. He'd fallen into the humiliating trap of failing to think of a witticism, only a rejoinduh.

Etymology: rejoinder (a reply, a riposte) + uh! (an exclamation used to indicate doubt or hesitation)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-03: 00:01:00
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

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-03: 11:45:00
Ah oui, "l'ésprit de l'escalier"... Merci pour la suggestion, mplsbohemian ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-10-20: 03:48:00
Today's definition was suggested by mplsbohemian. Thank you mplsbohemian. ~ James