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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You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Waiticism
Created by: urbanwookie
Pronunciation: way-tiss-ism
Sentence: As he smashed the last plate in the restaurant, Chris suddenly discovered the waiticism he had needed to parry the waiter's razor-sharp repartee...
Etymology: wait -> witticism
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COMMENTS:
nicely weighted! - galwaywegian, 2007-04-03: 05:18:00
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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).
Latealine
Created by: Dolraith
Pronunciation: Late-a-line
Sentence: The next day I had a latealine to her remark...
Etymology:
Duedefence
Created by: fantomex
Pronunciation: dew-deff-enss
Sentence: It was when I came up with an obvious duedefence that I realized how stupid I am in arguments.
Etymology: due - overdue // defence - defence or defend
Numback
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)
Retortoise
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: re TOR tus
Sentence: "Oh yeah? I'm a b----? Well, uh, uh, I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter!" she retortoised, as he disappeared from view.
Etymology: retort + tortoise
Lagbuttal
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /ˌlæɡˈbətl̩/
Sentence: Oddly enough, the infuriation factor of a lagbuttal seems to be inversely proportional to the length of time since the missed opportunity.
Etymology: From lag + rebuttal
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COMMENTS:
Def should be in common use. - imcvey, 2007-04-03: 05:49:00
Thanks. - ErWenn, 2007-04-04: 01:14:00
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Gigglelag
Created by: Sed8ed
Pronunciation: gig-el-lag
Sentence: Gigglelag was a familiar state of affairs for Mark, who always found himself tongue-tied (?) until well after the argument was over.
Etymology: giggle + lag = gigglelag
Retorture
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ree tort chur
Sentence: Drew always became tongue-tied after the tart-tongued Ramona passed him by at school and made one of her blistering comments to him. It was only after she departed that he would think of something clever in return. This retorture replayed like a video in his head all night. He was so busy trying to be the witty racontuer that he failed to realize that she only did this to get his attention because she liked him.
Etymology: Retort (a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)& Torture (torment emotionally or mentally;the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean)
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)
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