Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. The slow but steady rise of murmurs, coughs or harrumphs in audience. May indicate dissatisfaction, or the presence of a lethally infectious virus. v. To clear one's throat
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Grumplitude
Created by: jedijawa
Pronunciation: grump-leh-tude
Sentence: The grumplitude of the audience had steadily risen during the second act of the bad play.
Etymology: grump (i.e. grumble) + litude (i.e. applitude)
Crowndswell
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: rhymes with groundswell
Sentence: A few sneezes and coughs soon escalated into a riotous crowndswell of snorts, hiccups, gagging, hacking and spluttering that forced the thespians to don surgical masks.
Etymology: groundswell (movement by the general population) + crowd (the audience in this case) + swell (grow, rise)
Hawkandtalk
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: hawk-and-talk
Sentence: It never fails...I shell out a fortune for tickets to hear my favorite band and I end up in the hawkandtalk section. Folks, stay home if you're sick, get better and next time leave the phone. Yeesh!
Etymology: hawk: clearing phlegm from the throat in a noisy manner; hacking + talk
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COMMENTS:
This one struck a nerve. - mrskellyscl, 2009-09-15: 08:10:00
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Cacoughony
Created by: Alchemist
Pronunciation: kah-KOF-oh-nee
Sentence: I will never go to the opera during flu season again. The cacoughony was so bad that I could hardly hear the closing aria.
Etymology: cacophony with coughs
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COMMENTS:
nice job, very clever. - Javeson1, 2007-02-21: 01:12:00
great word -you get my vote! - w5lf9s, 2007-02-21: 12:31:00
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Bewailance
Created by: BMott
Pronunciation: Bee - wale - uns
Sentence: The bewailance started softly but reached a crescendo as the crowd realized their favorite performer was too drunk to sing.
Etymology: Bewail -- Performance
Hackle
Created by: NohWoman
Pronunciation: hackle
Sentence: At first there was just a lone hackler in the audience, but like a virus, the hackle spread across the crowd into a symphony of hackling.
Etymology: hack: a short, rasping dry cough + heckle: to harass a public speaker or performer. Works well as a verb and in noun form "hackler", as in the producer of a hackle.
Ahemdemonium
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: uh-hem-duh-moh-nee-uhm
Sentence: When the comedian crossed the line of good taste the room was overtaken with ahemdemonium. The ensuing cacophony left him no choice but to take a quick bow and exit the stage. The departure drew a standing ovation.
Etymology: ahem (an utterance similar to the sound of clearing one's throat, used to attract attention, express doubt or a mild warning, etc.) + pandemonium (wild uproar or unrestrained disorder; tumult or chaos)
Recitachoo
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: ress-it-choo
Sentence: As the conductor raised his baton before the next movement, a low rumble of recitachooing from the fourth row disturbed the expectant silence.
Etymology: recital (musical movement) + achoo (sneeze)
Crowdstirring
Created by: joshk
Pronunciation:
Sentence:
Etymology: When discontent seemingly crowd surfs over an audience.
Coughendo
Created by: Koekbroer
Pronunciation: coff-en-do
Sentence: Doug and Rachel joined in the coughendo to show their displeasure with the outcome.
Etymology: cough, crescendo
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by galwaywegian.
Thank you galwaywegian! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by galwaywegian.
Thank you galwaywegian! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by galwaywegian.
Thank you galwaywegian! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by galwaywegian. Thank you galwaywegian. ~ James