Vote for the best verboticism.

'That's cool technology! It's my deodorant.'

DEFINITION: v. To obsess over, and fantasize about electronic gadgets even though you can never figure out how they actually work. n. A beautiful but useless gadget.

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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.

Gorgauseless

Created by: weareallbeautiful

Pronunciation: g-or-j-uh-u-s-l-eh-ss

Sentence: Bob stared at the gorgauseless blue object in his hand wondering how it worked when Abby walked by and said "Put my paperweight down Bob!"

Etymology: gorgeous+useless

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Whatchamashinything

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: wəchəməshīnēθing

Sentence: Ralph loves his gadgets. Though he hardly knows how to use them, he just has to have the newest whatchamashinything.

Etymology: whatchamacallit (used to refer to a person or thing whose name one cannot recall, does not know, or does not wish to specify) + shiny thing (used to express something that is distracting)

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Thingamabawe

Created by: toadstool57

Pronunciation: thing-a-ma-bah

Sentence: Dave's thingamabawe got him a ton of nifty gadgets that he couldn't work and $10,000 in debt.

Etymology: thingamabob/awe

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COMMENTS:

this works really well with the cartoon - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-04: 11:59:00

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Preadget

Created by: nbsalomon

Pronunciation: pree-jit

Sentence: Lacey's preadget was hot pink and sparkly, but only a paperweight!

Etymology: pretty+gadget

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Yphone

Created by: idavecook

Pronunciation: Why, fone

Sentence: "I just got the 3G yPhone, it's sleek body feels so good in my hand, and you know I'll pick up some ladies with this thing." You realize, that's just the box you're holding, right?

Etymology: Why don't I have the freakin 3G iPhone!

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Gearoused

Created by: Katisms1

Pronunciation: geer-OWzed

Sentence: Despite her Luddite leanings, she became increasingly gearoused with every page turn of her Hammacher Schlemmer catalogue.

Etymology: gear + aroused

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Whatchamadooz

Created by: ErWenn

Pronunciation: /ˌʍʌtʃəməˈduz/

Sentence: My new vacuum cleaner comes with all sorts of whatchamadoozes and wherchamattachits, but the instruction manual only has very ambiguous pictures.

Etymology: From "What does it do?" in the same way that "whatchamacallit" comes from "What do you call it?"

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COMMENTS:

I think that the ambiguous, uncaptioned picture-instructions included with some whatchamadoozes would make a good verboticism. - ErWenn, 2007-06-04: 02:33:00

OK, just to be fair I'm waiting until later today to vote, but rest assured: you've got my vote. One of 'em, anyway. - Clayton, 2007-06-04: 06:27:00

Thanks both for voting and for waiting! - ErWenn, 2007-06-04: 12:08:00

I think they call those drawings Picasholes. I've used one to try to assemble what looked like a simple filing cabinet. Five months, and five friends later, it's almost together! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-04: 15:29:00

Done and done. - Clayton, 2007-06-04: 21:41:00

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Doohickey

Created by: colapop

Pronunciation: \ˈdü-ˌhi-kē\

Sentence: Alice flashed her doohickey at Todd and he was floored. 'Wow, what is that?' he exclaimed, itching to get his hands on the device. 'No no Mister, don't you dare touch my doohickey until you've read the manual' she cooed.

Etymology: 'Doohickey' first originated in 1914, but seems fit for a revival. It derives from the word 'doodad' (gadget) + 'hickey' (love mark)

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Exquizmo

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: eks kwiz mo

Sentence: On their second Christmas together, you'd think he'd have learned. When she opened the fancy wrapping of her gift, she was blown away by the deep flamingo colour, studded in rhinestones. It looked high-tech, but gorgeous and she tried to guess what was the real purpose of this exquizmo present. He'd selected it himself in a store and thought it was pretty. A few minutes later their warm cozy Christmas morning turned icy when she realized it was a fancy ladies' razor. "Am I really that hairy?" she demanded. Yes, he should have learned after last year's fiasco...when he bought her a fancy new broom and she exploded, "Am I supposed to ride this to work???"

Etymology: Exquisite (of extreme beauty;lavishly elegant and refined;of delicate composition and artistry) & Quiz (What is it?) & Gizmo (a device that is very useful for a particular job;something whose name is either forgotten or not known)

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Digidrivel

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: didge ee drivvle

Sentence: he spoke complete and utter digidrival in a desperate attempt to ingratiate himself with the hot new techie.

Etymology: digital drivel

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-06-04: 01:33:00
Today's definition was suggested by shutz. Thank you shutz! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-06-04: 01:55:00
Read about Jabberwocky's Garden of Verbal Delights in Verbotoweek.

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2008-07-25: 00:56:00
pronunciation: uh-GOG-uh-tek........... sentence:Poor old Ira Gobler was AGOGATECH at his designer's latest device.He was so AGOGATECH that he let the factory's flaccid finances flow into a virtual vat of vapors while he thoughtfully tinkered and tweaked the tin toys and gamboled among the gizmoes generated just beyond the grounded iron gates of the fabrication facility...Someday...he would write an operator's manual...................... etymology: Agog+at+Technology=aGOGatech!

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2008-07-25: 01:12:00
Sometimes my "comments" seem to appear in the wrong places....if only some clever soul would invent a GIZBO to prevent that.

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2008-07-25: 01:20:00
....my brain hurts.....

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-12-29: 00:10:00
Today's definition was suggested by shutz. Thank you shutz. ~ James