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'It's time to find your inner cockroach'

DEFINITION: n. A person who succeeds not because of their talents, but because they just won't quit. v. To firmly believe in your talents and never give up on your goals, despite the huge obstacles, snide comments, and repeated setbacks.

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Verboticisms

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Hacklentless

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: hak-lent-lis

Sentence: Sally is now in charge of the department, not because of any outstanding talent or even a clear understanding of what the job entails. Anybody with an ounce of skill or ambition has moved on to bigger and better things long ago. Her plodding, hacklentless approach to her work and mediocre results keeps her so far under the radar of scrutiny that she has no enemies. In fact, most people don't even know who she is after 20 years with the company. Sometimes people walk into her because they just don't notice she is there.

Etymology: Hack (a person, as an artist or writer, who exploits, for money, his or her creative ability or training in the production of dull, unimaginative, and trite work) + relentless (unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh)

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Littlengina

Created by: verbherder

Pronunciation: lit-l-en-jahy-nuh

Sentence: The blue-haired woman ringing up Slurpees for the past 38 years at the Gas 'N Sip turned out to be a littlengina. Some publisher bought the novel she was always jawing about, and now it's a best seller in several regions of Portugal.

Etymology: The little engine that could

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Purseverance

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: poor sev eer ans

Sentence: When jockey/owner Cher Bett entered her horse, Mane Chance, in the biggest cup competition of the racing season, she had to overcome a lot of obstacles. Being a woman owner/jockey was a major issue in the male dominated sport. Getting backers, paying trainers, vets and stable staff were major financial considerations for the not-rich Cher. But after all her purseverance, she not only ran in the race, but won it at 20-to-1 odds. She won so much, she can afford to hire jockeys now and has become a legend in race circles!

Etymology: Purse (a sum of money offered as a prize) & Perseverance (persistance; tenacity)

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Nosensequitter

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: no/sens/kwit/tur

Sentence: Sally's philosophy was to aspire to be a nosensequitter who would never give up even if it was an unwarranted conclusion.

Etymology: no sense + quit + non sequitur (illogical conclusion)

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COMMENTS:

brilliant! - galwaywegian, 2008-05-01: 06:58:00

Great word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-02: 05:28:00

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Reluctascious

Created by: daniellegeorge

Pronunciation: Re-luk-tay-shus

Sentence: "Dwayne, it's a square peg." "YES! The corners have worn off! It fits now, in this round hole!"

Etymology: reluctant and tenacious

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COMMENTS:

nice blend - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-01: 11:53:00

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Persistalents

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: pərsistalənts

Sentence: Some people have a talent for singing, some can play a musical instrument. Joyce has none of these. What she does have is persistalents. Once she sets her mind to do something, it would take an act of Congress to change her course. Nobody is surprised that her pet-of-choice is a pit bull.

Etymology: persistence (firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition) + talents (natural aptitude or skills) sounds a bit like pestilence.

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COMMENTS:

nice - Jabberwocky, 2009-06-11: 15:47:00

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Obsesstinate

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: ob/sess/stuh/nit

Sentence: Karen's obsesstinate personality drove her supervisors and managers crazy and so she was promoted quickly up the company infrastructure to get rid of her, not because of her business sense, or corporate abilities.

Etymology: some one who is totally obsessed with being obstinate - obsess (uhb-ses) - to think about something unceasingly, or persistently + obstinate (ob-stuh-nit) - inflexible persistence, or an unyielding attitude

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COMMENTS:

Excellent word! - Mustang, 2009-06-11: 20:50:00

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Obsesstinate

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: ob/sess/stuh/nit

Sentence: Karen's obsesstinate personality drove her supervisors and managers crazy and so she was promoted quickly up the company infrastructure to get rid of her, not because of her business sense, or corporate abilities.

Etymology: some one who is totally obsessed with being obstinate - obsess + obstinate (tenaciously unwilling to yield)

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COMMENTS:

Good one. - Mustang, 2008-05-01: 22:06:00

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Unswervictor

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: un-SWER-vick-ter

Sentence: The unswervictor's hero was Benjamin Disraeli, who once said "through perseverence many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure".

Etymology: unswerving (persistent) + victor (winner)

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Hambition

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: ham bish shun

Sentence: Liza was determined to be a great actress. She starred in school productions through high school and somehow made it into acting school. Her hambition was to get into a long-running soap, but she was rejected because her acting skills were too over the top. She finally got a bit part in a movie, "Joe's Apartment", but only because she was the only actor who allowed them to put a cockroach on her nose...

Etymology: Ham (unskilled actor who overacts) & Ambition (strong drive for success)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-01: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Lesson # 4: "Persistence trumps talent". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-06-11: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Lesson # 4: "Persistence trumps talent". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-07-05: 00:05:00
Today's definition was suggested by johnnybunko. Thank you johnnybunko. ~ James