Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. The weird feelings that rise up when you notice that you are being followed by a police officer, or a cop car, or the Special Forces Anti-Terrorist Unit. v. To feel nervous, self-conscious and guilty whenever you see a police officer.
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.
Copkarma
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /kop-kar-muh/
Sentence: Driving on an unfamiliar and secluded highway, on his way to college, Javier noticed a police car suddenly pull out behind him. He started to get nervous and slowed down. Had he even been speeding? Was he now going too slow, arousing further suspicion?... Were the cops here overly suspicious of young Hispanic men driving through their area in a new car? Had he done anything wrong? He'd changed lanes a few miles back, but he didn't remember signalling the lane change — there had been no other cars in sight to signal to. Perhaps there had been a police car hidden back there and he'd simply radioed to his partner up the road. How many of them were there, closing in on his position right now? Or did this have something to do with the beer Javier had drank at his going-away party two nights ago? He wasn't of legal driking age yet. It must be copkarma — all of his recent minor trangressions catching up with him.
Etymology: Cop car - Informal; automobile used by police officers (abbreviation of 'copper' & Latin, carrus "chariot") + Karma - Hinduism/Buddhism; action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad (from Sandskrit, karman "action, fate")
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COMMENTS:
Very Resourcefull! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 16:22:00
I like it! - purpleartichokes, 2008-03-20: 17:06:00
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Hangxiety
Created by: doseydotes
Pronunciation: ˈhaŋ-ˈzī-ə-tē
Sentence: Mildred tried to fight it, she really did, but she found herself sweaty with hangxiety every time she passed Ralph, Woolworth's security guard. It had been 55 years since she'd filched that tube of lipstick - she'd been too scared to ever use it, and she ended up throwing it in a drainage ditch - but she was certain that all Ralph had to do was look at her closely enough and he'd KNOW.
Etymology: From the British root, hang, meaning to stand about waiting for the trouble to start so one can get in on it early; and the Finnish (the Fins are such good finishers), xiety, meaning a group that collectively ducks its head in a guilty manner.
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COMMENTS:
Interesting etymology! When I think of hanging ... I think gallows! Your word is frighteningly good! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:45:00
One way to generate true hangziety would be to ask a cop "How's it haning?" - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:47:00
Such a clever pun ... and incorporating hang with all it's meanings was absolutely brilliant! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:48:00
Comprehensive and learned etymology. Saturday night's alright for fighting.... - stache, 2008-03-20: 16:53:00
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Gendarmealarm
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: jahn/darm/alarm
Sentence: I experience such acute gendarmealarm that I even break into a sweat when I see a hall monitor from a French immersion school.
Etymology: gendarme + alarm
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COMMENTS:
Had you been motoring about in London perhaps you'd have experienced 'bobby caution'? - Mustang, 2008-03-20: 07:13:00
Or Plodduck. - petaj, 2008-03-20: 09:29:00
Fun to say! Nice one. - Jamagra, 2008-03-20: 11:53:00
Double Stong'arm'ed Creation! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:26:00
tres bien - stache, 2008-03-21: 00:00:00
Gendarmit - i should have thought of that one! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-22: 00:30:00
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Misplatiathoriphobia
Created by: youmustvotenato
Pronunciation: miss-place-sha-thor-ri-phobia
Sentence: There were police parked outside my apartment complex and although it's only misplatiathoriphobia, I can't help but think its for all the music I've been downloading.
Etymology: mis-placed; authority; phobia
Gulpable
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: gəlpəbəl
Sentence: Its not that he was all that bad a driver but every time he saw a police car in his rear view mirror he would have a gulpable moment. He would also fall into a state of dread when he came into contact with a doctor.
Etymology: gulp (make effortful breathing or swallowing movements, typically in response to strong emotion) + culpable (deserving blame)
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COMMENTS:
Captures the reaction and feeling so very well! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-12: 10:40:00
Gulpability is a serious crime...good word! - Nosila, 2009-01-12: 19:12:00
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Omnidread
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: OM-knee-dred
Sentence: Generica quickly took a mental inventory of her possible transgressions when she saw the herd of uniformed coppers converge on her zone of control. Sure, she helped Waldo burn his draft card and disappear into the seedy underground, but that was long ago. They probably weren't looking for her, but the OMNIDREAD rose up in her craw like too many shots of sweet brandy. Perhaps she was just being paranoid, but then she remembered that Timmy The Beard was wasting away in a Guantanamo torture cell for the crime of...."SUSPECTED NOVELTIES"
Etymology: OMNI+DREAD=OMNIDREAD.....OMNI: encompassing everthing you may have done, even in your youth.....DREAD:to be apprehensive or fearful,to fear greatly,to feel extreme reluctance to meet or face the authorities;Middle English dreden, from Old English drǣdan...
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COMMENTS:
Bush and Cheney are going to slip away unpunished like thieves in the night. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-12: 02:05:00
Actually, it was Roger Bacon who was imprisoned for "suspected novelties" back in the 13th century, i believe- but history has a nasty way of repeating itself. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-12: 02:21:00
Your suspected novelties are good, metro...interesting phrase! - Nosila, 2009-01-12: 19:13:00
Thanks, N ! I wish I could say it was my own invention (suspected novelties). - metrohumanx, 2009-01-13: 07:59:00
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Copcaughted
Created by: looseball
Pronunciation: cop-caught-ed
Sentence: there it was again that copcaughted feeling every time I see a badge.
Etymology:
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COMMENTS:
You are awarded another point for each etymology ... sish you had put an etymology! Might copcaughted have sprung from Copcaugtchya and its cousin gotchya? - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 16:34:00
freudian fingerslips again ... sish should be wish in the above! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 16:35:00
Good word! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 16:35:00
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Poliprehensivity
Created by: yelloweyes
Pronunciation: pawl-ih-preh-hen-siv-it-ee
Sentence: Shelly has a severe case of poliprehensivity! Every time she sees a cop car, she flinches and hisses like a scared ferret. I think she poliprehensives so often because her dad went to jail when she was a kid.
Etymology: Poli - from police; prehensivity - from apprehensive (anxious/fearful something bad will happen).
Forcealarm
Created by: TJayzz
Pronunciation: For-se-al-arm
Sentence: When Karen saw the police cars pull up she felt the forcealarm rising, she was sure they were looking for her. If only she had handed in her library book on time it would have been ok, now she was a week late she decided to go quietly. As she turned to face the music she was so relieved when she saw that they had arrested couple of shoplifters she ran home to collect the books and then proceeded straight to the library to hand them in.
Etymology: Force(an organised body of workers i.e Police Force) + Alarm(an anxious state) = Forcealarm. See false alarm (when your fears amount to nothing)
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COMMENTS:
That's good. Good play on words too. - kateinkorea, 2009-01-12: 08:06:00
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Constabullied
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: kon sta bull eed
Sentence: When Constance saw more than one police officer near her work, home, garage or gym, she felt constabullied, even though she was not breaking the law (on purpose.
Etymology: Constable (police officer) & Bullied (forced, coerced into doing something against one's will)
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by Nosila. Thank you Nosila. ~ James
mokelmoney - 2009-01-12: 12:32:00
copetrinoia
mokelmoney - 2009-01-12: 12:38:00
copetrinoia: cop/ e/ tri/ noia- to be petrified of the cops to the point of paranoia. Also, not change the subject [no pun intended] ,however I have made numerous contributions. Why are they being disregarded? Please check again...thats Bea Helfy or mokelmoney. Thank you
Today's definition was suggested by Nosila. Thank you Nosila. ~ James
DiplomatUfimskmef - 2018-05-27: 19:30:00
Уважаемые пользователи, друзья! Хотелось бы поделиться несложной и оч
GeorgeSib - 2018-05-27: 19:51:00
Вашему вниманию: организация свадеб в киеве и многое другое от Компании АртМуз: организаци