Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A misheard or misunderstood lyric, which gives the song a completely different meaning than originally intended. v. To misinterpret a song because you "hear" different words than the ones actually being sung.
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.
Adversapropism
Created by: emdeejay
Pronunciation: Add verse à propism
Sentence: Wayne was of those amateur guitarists who seemed to know only half the words of the songs in his repertoire. When he gave his son an impromptu rendition of what he *thought* was "Sonny Be Good", his wife gave him the nickname "Dog Berry"
Etymology: Verse: component of a song that isn't a chorus. Malapropism: misuse of words, often humorously. Adverse: That doesn't sound quite right does it?
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COMMENTS:
clever combo - Jabberwocky, 2009-05-05: 11:13:00
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Tunerr
Created by: remistram
Pronunciation: toon-air
Sentence: The kids loved it when Mr. Bevilaqua stood up in front of the class and tunerred the national anthem "....Oh Canada, we stand on cars and freeze..."
Etymology: tune (song) + err (misinterpret, distort)
Misunderheard
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: mis-under-herd
Sentence: Grandma shrugged, "You kids today with your hippity-hop and stupid lyrics -- why when I was young we had songs with meaning!" She sighed wistfully and began to sing to herself, "Knock, knock, knocking on Kevin's door." Grandpa stood up, "You've been singing that song wrong for the past 50 years, old woman. It's "Knock, knock knockin' on heaven's door" for crying out loud." "Well, I guess I misunderheard the lyrics, excuuuuuse me. And if you correct me again in front of the grandkids you'll be knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door sooner than you think."
Etymology: misunderstood: improperly understood or interpreted + heard
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COMMENTS:
wonderful word... - mweinmann, 2009-05-05: 08:34:00
I just noticed that you used one of the same song title's in your sentence as I did....only I think Kevin is funnier tha Evan!!! - mweinmann, 2009-05-05: 08:34:00
There's a herd of misunderheard today! Goodjob, mrsk! - Nosila, 2009-05-05: 22:15:00
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Fudgeurlirics
Created by: jasjamson
Pronunciation: fudge ur leer ics
Sentence: Your fudgeurlirics has revamped that song completely!
Etymology: Fudge + your + lyrics
Wrongbird
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: rôngbərd
Sentence: Marsha is a regular wrongbird. She and her friends love to go out to the local karaoke bar and sing their hearts out. Often her vanity that prevents her from wearing her glasses combines with her active imagination to create a hysterical new set of lyrics. "Excuse me while I kiss this guy"
Etymology: wrong (not correct or true) + songbird (a bird with a musical song)
Mangledupinblues
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: mang eld up in bloooze
Sentence: His mangledupinblues were frequent and severe, often leading to bouts of drinking alone in the basement of his hovel, wishing he was back home, awash in his subterrainian homesick booze
Etymology: tangled up in blue, mangled
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COMMENTS:
nice Dylan references - Jabberwocky, 2009-05-05: 11:18:00
Ah the times, they are a chainging! - Nosila, 2009-05-05: 22:12:00
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Mondegreen
Created by: theodrixx
Pronunciation: Mawn-deh-green
Sentence: I discovered a mondegreen just the other day; I heard Jimi Hendrix's lyrics in Purple Haze, "excuse me while I kiss the sky" as being "excuse me while I kiss this guy."
Etymology: Named for an instance of this phenomenon during a reading of a poem, where in the line "and laid him on the green" was heard as "and Lady Mondegreen."
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COMMENTS:
nice one - galwaywegian, 2010-11-17: 18:52:00
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Oopsydittie
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: oōpsēditē
Sentence: Everybody was used to hearing Jeff humming his favorite song as he went through his day. What they didn’t know until last Saturday night at the karaoke was that Jeff’s head contained an oopsydittie. As he belted out his fave, his friends realized he hadn’t gotten a single lyric right.
Etymology: oops (used to show recognition of a mistake or minor accident, often as part of an apology) + upsy-daisy (used to express encouragement to a child who has fallen or is being lifted) + dittie (a short simple song)
Lieric
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: lie-rik
Sentence: it was only years later that he realised that singing 'Gold Blank Sign' on new years eve was a lieric embarrassment.
Etymology: lie, lyric
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COMMENTS:
terrific - Jabberwocky, 2009-05-05: 11:17:00
Should Bald Acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind... - Nosila, 2009-05-05: 22:13:00
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Mystlyrical
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: mist/leer/i/cal
Sentence: One of the funniest mystlyricals I've heard was an interpretation of a line from the Eagles Hotel California 'On a dark desert highway, cool whip in my hair'
Etymology: mystical (secret)+ lyric + missed
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COMMENTS:
It's a lot like verbotomy...You can check out, but you can never leave! - Nosila, 2009-05-05: 22:17:00
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Comments:
Verbotomy - 2009-05-04: 00:01:01
Today's definition was suggested by mrskellyscl (misinterpreted words) and by abrakadeborah (misinterpreted meanings). And of course, by Bob Dylan's classic song about doing the laundry -- Blowing in the Wind ~ James
abrakadeborah - 2009-05-05: 01:02:00
Thank you James~ Cartoon was great! & To mrskellyscl,Oh how I can relate to that one! I have an ex boyfriend that no matter what song he hears NONE of the words match as he tries to sing along! Too funny! :) LOL
Verbotomy - 2010-11-17: 00:36:00
Today's definition was suggested by mrskellyscl. Thank you mrskellyscl. ~ James