Vote for the best verboticism.

'So team, what do you think of my new idea?'

DEFINITION: n., An expressive gesture made with the belief that the person it is directed at cannot see it, typically occurs during telephone conversations, email discourses, and behind people's backs. v. To use an unseen gesture to express what you cannot say.

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Verboticisms

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You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Phantomime

Created by: rikboyee

Pronunciation: fan-toh-mime

Sentence: it was my first day of teaching, and i had the uneasy feeling that while i was writing my name on the board , the whole class was phantomiming behind my back

Etymology: phantom, pantomime

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COMMENTS:

phantastic! - galwaywegian, 2008-01-28: 07:20:00

Simply brilliant. - ErWenn, 2008-01-28: 10:36:00

Ghoulishly clever! - Tigger, 2008-01-28: 12:16:00

I could become a phan of phantomine! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:50:00

Can you imagine what I'm phantomiming right now?.... wrong - it's 2 thumbs up - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-28: 15:34:00

Great word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:39:00

Great word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:41:00

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Mimeogaffe

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: mim/ee/oh/gaf

Sentence: Stan's hilarious imitation of his boss as a gorilla turned into a huge mimeogaffe when the boss' face popped up from under the desk.

Etymology: mimicry + mimeograph

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COMMENTS:

Good word...if he had imitated the boss as a girraffe it would have been a mimeogiraffe! - Nosila, 2008-11-19: 23:12:00

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Gesteliate

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: jes-tel-EE-eyt

Sentence: Whenever his boss called him making a new pledge on worker's rights, Bob gesteliated by putting his hand over the phone, and singing aloud the words of the chorus from the Joe Hill song, (The Preacher & the Slave): "You will eat bye and bye, In that glorious land above the sky; Work and pray, live on hay, You will get pie in the sky when you die."

Etymology: Blend of GESTURE: use of movement of arms, hands, head etc to express emotion, thought etc & Tel(e) from afar as in telephone & TALIATE as in retaliate to take action.

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COMMENTS:

Would have never thought to put these two together ... great combo! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:43:00

your definitions always sound so convincing - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-28: 15:32:00

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| Comments and Points

Pantosign

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: pan to sine

Sentence: Harvey's banal suggestions were always met with the usual pantosigns by his supportive employees.

Etymology: pantomime (using gestures, not words) & sign (gesture, motion)

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COMMENTS:

Excellent! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-06: 17:57:00

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Bactions

Created by: Biscotti

Pronunciation: back shuns

Sentence: The team didn't realize their video conference with the company's CEO was two-way, and proceeded to perform many bactions towards him. He pretended to not see them and the next day all their desks had been moved to janitors closets.

Etymology: back (behind you) + actions (movements or gestures)

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COMMENTS:

good one... - Nosila, 2011-08-30: 08:33:00

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Gesticulatent

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: jest tick you klay tent.

Sentence: Every time Fred called his employees on the phone from his travels, his reponses would be a bunch of gesticulatent signals from his rather immature staff.

Etymology: gesticulate (to show, express or direct through movement) & latent (at some eventual time in the future, potential)

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Excellent combination. - metrohumanx, 2008-11-19: 20:17:00

metrohumanx A beautiful word. I am stunned by the brevity of your sentence. Still love it, though! - metrohumanx, 2008-11-21: 08:34:00

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Fliphandcy

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: flip/hand/see

Sentence: Sue was convinced that her fliphandcy would be construed as mere frivolity.

Etymology: flip (as in flip the finger) + hand + flippancy

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Asnide

Created by: Tigger

Pronunciation: /uh-sniyd'/

Sentence: For once, during the staff meeting, Mr. Leeds was calling in from a remote office, and the staff, normally daunted by his blustery manner, each expressed their true feelings in an asnide directed at the speakerphone, while maintaining their usual, timid responses.

Etymology: aside - actor's lines not heard by others on the stage (Old English, a- + sīd "to one side") + snide - derogatory in a nasty, insinuating manner (Origin unknown, from thieves' slang for "counterfeit or sham")

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COMMENTS:

Funny! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 11:43:00

I like it! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:54:00

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| Comments and Points

Hexpression

Created by: Banky

Pronunciation: hecks-press-shun

Sentence: While the caller would blather on about savings on international calls of up to 1.3% over other hucksters, Dana would focus on contorting her face into her telemarketer hexpression, which she was convinced would visit bowel cancer upon these rude troglodytes.

Etymology: hex - a curse or malicious spell, expression - a visual depiction of mood or sentiment

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COMMENTS:

very funny - I'll have to try that some time - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-28: 10:54:00

Great idea! Terrific word! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 11:40:00

Haha. Your sentence was LOL-funny! - Tigger, 2008-01-28: 12:09:00

Great word and sentence! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:48:00

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| Comments and Points

Glibbondancing

thegoatisbad

Created by: thegoatisbad

Pronunciation: glib-bun-dan-sing

Sentence: When Zinnia disagreed with someone sitting across the conference table from her, she would smile and, under the table, secretly flip them off. This was too subtle for Kimberly, whose annoyance had evolved in its expression from similarly small gestures to pompous gibbon-dancing.

Etymology: Glib (simply insincere) + Ribbon Dancing (a popular sport among 8 year old women)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-28: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn. ~ James

Maxine - 2008-01-28: 08:57:00
This is a really great cartoon!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-28: 11:03:00
Thanks Maxine! ~ James

libertybelle libertybelle - 2008-01-28: 11:12:00
I love the guy making a grab at himself - made me laugh out loud.

silveryaspen - 2008-01-28: 13:16:00
Fun definition, Erwenn. Your cartoon was uproariously funny, James. All the creations were a hoot,great job verbotomists!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-28: 14:30:00
ErWenn's definitions always always seem to generate a good laugh. See: Let me hold the door for you... Thanks! ~ James

silveryaspen - 2008-11-20: 08:25:00
Missed you all. Nice to be back.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-04-16: 00:10:00
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn. ~ James