Vote for the best verboticism.

'What's with this stupid pen?'

DEFINITION: v., To search for and find a pen to write down an important note, only to discover that the pen does not work. n., A moment in time when the only pens you can find, are pens that do not work.

Create | Read

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.

Pendaver

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: pen/daver

Sentence: It's another of Murphy's Laws that writing utensils turn into pendavers when an important message needs to be scribbled.

Etymology: PENDAVER noun - from PEN (instrument for writing) + CADAVER (a dead body)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

I bet Dexter has several pendavers - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-03: 09:47:00

Good word - OZZIEBOB, 2008-10-05: 17:35:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Peninsulate

Created by: QuantumMechanic

Pronunciation: pen en suh late

Sentence: I knew the answer, but I didn't couldn't call in to win, because I was peninsulated -- all of the pens I found were dead.

Etymology: pen (ink writing instrument) + insulate (isolate), parallel to peninsula (an isolated spit of land)

| Comments and Points

Thenotwritestuff

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: The not rite stuff

Sentence: When the first astronauts went up in space, they had thenotwritestuff for report writing, because the lack of gravity prevented the ink from flowing down the shaft and appearing on official NASA notepaper. This where the famous line, "Houston, we have a problem" was born. After the Astronaut Pen was invented, where you could write upside down or at any angle, proper records could be documented. This was long before any computers were available (except HAL) to enter data. Imagine then how many alien encounters were missed or not reported because the crews had thenotwritestuff! Have you any ink-ling? The biro-ny...they can get a man on the moon, but they cannot invent a pen that does not dry up!

Etymology: The Not (negative) Write Stuff (play on Right Stuff(Essential abilities or qualities;dependability,etc.necessary for success...also name for a Hollywood Movie about astronauts chosen for the space program)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

zxvasdf Good sentence. Funny, cud have just splurged a buck for a dozen of pencils instead. - zxvasdf, 2008-10-03: 13:39:00

Then they would have had to get the lead out! Cheers! - Nosila, 2008-10-04: 23:08:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Peninkless

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: PEN-ink-less

Sentence: As was so often the case when he needed a pen in an important moment the only one Germain could find was completely dry and leaving him peninkless once again.

Etymology: Blend of pen and ink with the suffix 'less', (without)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

poor Germain - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-03: 09:45:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Penmurphy

Created by: cawnpore

Pronunciation:

Sentence: When he finally met her and got Jessica's phone number, he penmurphied (and later that evening killed himself).

Etymology: pen+murphy (from Murphy's law)

| Comments and Points

Penacide

Created by: aiiden

Pronunciation: penuh-side

Sentence: Damn penacidal pens!

Etymology: pen+suicide

| Comments and Points

Montblanked

Created by: Kyoti

Pronunciation: Mahnt-blaynkt

Sentence: Rudy scribbled and scratched on his legal pad, leaving dozens of swirly deep grooves, but no discernible ink marks of any kind appeared on his paper, and he was forced to accept that he'd just been completely montblanked.

Etymology: Mont Blanc: fancy French pens with fancy French price tags + Blanked: a term sportscasters like to use to indicate a shutout, especially when referring to the visiting team.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

so many great words today! - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-03: 09:48:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Birony

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: by ro nee

Sentence: The birony was that when Eddie needed a pawn to record a message, he could never find one. Nevermind all his pens were MontBlanc's, Crosses and other expensive names, none worked properly, not even the uBICuitous free ones he collected!

Etymology: Biro (a pen that has a small metal ball as the point of transfer of ink to paper)& Irony ( incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs)

| Comments and Points

Yeahuhholdonasec

thegoatisbad

Created by: thegoatisbad

Pronunciation: yeah-uh-hold-on-a-sec

Sentence: Kimberly was in for a frustrating day when Zinnia traded all of her well-hydrated pens with their desiccated cousins from long forgotten junk drawers. Zinnia could hardly contain her amusement as Kimberly constantly yeahuhholdonasec'ed with customers placing large scale orders of sweaters.

Etymology: it's what you say on the phone when you can't find a pen

| Comments and Points

Penundrum

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: pen-NUHN-druhm

Sentence: Bob faced a penundrum when his biro pendripulated as he tried to write down the address of his new girlfriend - Woodraliggunie st, Gutchboordankendockenarup, Western Australia. Despite his dyspengraphic pleadings, she remained unsympathetic presenting him with a penultimatum: get one that writes or get lost!

Etymology: Blend of pen & conundrum: a puzzling question or problem.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

I think Bob should buy some pencils - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-06: 13:51:00

I guess Bob will never get to go to Camp Comeoniwannalaya with his new-found girlfriend. (great word ozzie!) - purpleartichokes, 2007-11-06: 19:58:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-11-06: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by vixphilia. Thank you vixphilia! ~ James'

OZZIEBOB - 2007-11-06: 16:53:00
Good word!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-03-03: 00:16:00
Today's definition was suggested by vixphilia. Thank you vixphilia. ~ James

Petrikreink - 2020-03-03: 05:14:00