Vote for the best verboticism.

'That cake is so dry it's completely indigestible!'

DEFINITION: n., The fear that your service representative will retaliate after you have complained. v., To be afraid of bad service because you complained about it.

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.

Compain

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: kum payn

Sentence: She felt good after her bitching session, but the compain would be along presently

Etymology: complain pain

| Comments and Points

Phalloutbia

thegoatisbad

Created by: thegoatisbad

Pronunciation: Fal-out-be-ah

Sentence: Zinnia's diet had a few restrictions: "I can't eat oil, flour, meat or milk" she explained. Her tenancy to send back food that wasn't clearly a raw fruit or vegetable horrified Kimberly. "I would never send something back to the Kitchen. Do you know what goes on back there? Hatred, spit and vengeance." But Kimberly's warning meant nothing to Zinnia, "No phalloutbia is as strong as my desire to feel thin."

Etymology: fallout (effect, repercussion) + phobia (fear of)

| Comments and Points

Prevengitis

Created by: Bullwinkle

Pronunciation: prevenj'itis

Sentence: The food was bad but prevengeitis kept me quiet. An overwhelming desire to prevent revenge.

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Regretribution

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: ree gret trib you shun

Sentence: Rhett was already feeling regretribution for complaining to his Bank Manager, Chet, about the way he had been treated by the bank employees while doing a little banking. He did not realize that such a complaint might reflect badly on Chet's perfect career record and maybe hinder or halt any career aspirations he had to be Bank President. You could Abetribution that there would be Rhettribution from Chetribution which would cause Sweatribution, Upsetribution and Threatribution and Rhett could Getribution a big Debtribution. Yes, next time Rhett tried to rob a bank, he'd pick one with nicer tellers!

Etymology: Regret (sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment;feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about) & Retribution(the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life)

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

metrohumanx Good grief! That sentence makes my head swim!.....but i like it. - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 02:25:00

That's called dizzytribution, but don't fretribution, if you were on a plane, it might be jetribution or on a boat it would be wetribution! - Nosila, 2008-10-28: 12:52:00

metrohumanx If the warden lets me use the computer, I'll make another contribution. - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 17:55:00

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

| Comments and Points

Counterattack

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: counter attack

Sentence: No sooner had Nelly complained to the insurance officer across the service desk about the poor quality of the repairer's work on her storm-damaged roof, she felt that coil of fear in her stomach. Would this woman counterattack with quick thrust of her letter opener, or was she in for a year delay in getting the ruined carpet replaced.

Etymology: counter attack (retaliation) + counter (where one obtains service in a shop or service centre)

| Comments and Points

Retrifarction

Created by: schoolmarm

Pronunciation: ret/ruh/FARK/shun

Sentence: Seconds after she mentioned her dirty spoon to the waiter, she suffered a massive retrifarction and had to be removed from the restaurant.

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Remorsel

swallowedbyafish

Created by: swallowedbyafish

Pronunciation:

Sentence: He was instantly filled with remorsel after realizing the waiter was about to go do unspeakable things to his food.

Etymology: remorse + morsel

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

swallowedbyafish oops didn't mean to steal somebody else's idea... sorry - swallowedbyafish, 2007-11-30: 22:53:00

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

| Comments and Points

Retailiate

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: rēˌtālēˌāt

Sentence: Richard already felt like the bottom rung on the ladder, working as a clerk in a discount shoe store. When a customer snapped her fingers and demanding immediate attention and referring to him as "Hey you", he knew he had to retailiate. First he made sure that each shoe he brought out was a half size smaller or narrower than what she needed. The ones she really loved were always out of stock. When she finally found a pair that she could shove her hoof into, he took her purchase to the register and mis-entered her information so that the transaction was rejected and he could announce in a not-too-quiet voice, "Mam, your card has been declined, do you have another?" The look on her face made all the aggravation worth it.

Etymology: retail: the sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale + retaliate: make an attack or assault in return for a similar attack

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

I know this clerk. What a jerk! - wayoffcenter, 2008-10-28: 07:00:00

you've obviously suffered through a retail job at some time - great word - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-28: 13:02:00

metrohumanx Diabolical! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 17:39:00

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

| Comments and Points

Forebodianskip

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: fore/bode/ian/skip

Sentence: I experienced a powerful forebodianskip when I asked the hairdresser to cut my hair a little shorter and he took out the buzz cutters.

Etymology: forebode + skip (as in skip a heartbeat) + freudian slip

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

Excellent! - Mustang, 2007-12-01: 17:33:00

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

| Comments and Points

Retailiation

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: re tayl ee ay shun

Sentence: When Gerda complained to her hairdresser that she did not like the colour and cut given to her the day before, she demanded a new free colour and cut the next month. Although she feared retailiation, the hairdresser grudgingly obliged, foregoing her commission. Gerda's fears were unfounded, as purpily, uneven, fuzzy, fried hair is all the rage now!

Etymology: Retail (the selling of goods or services to consumers) & Retaliation (avenge;action taken in return for an injury or offense)

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

I'll buy that! - galwaywegian, 2011-08-12: 06:24:00

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

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-11-30: 00:28:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram~ James

remistram - 2007-11-30: 10:14:00
I admit - one of my paranoias....

purpleartichokes - 2007-11-30: 13:49:00
Thanks for all the great definitions Remi!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-12-01: 07:45:00
By the way, Remistram also gets a credit for yesterday's definition. She originally submitted her definition about compulsive sniffing in June, so I have added her name to the credits which she shares with kabloozie. Thanks! ~ James

silveryaspen - 2008-12-09: 01:06:00
Am I the only one confounded by the previous verbotomies being show as new ones, along with the re-run of the definition? When we go to vote for the new verbotomies, it's going to be confusing to vote for the new verbotomies instead of the old verbotomies.

logarithm - 2008-12-09: 04:24:00
A re-run, huh? I think it's ok to mix the old and new verbotomies together, and let people vote for their favourites. New verbotomies are great, but some of the old ones might still be the better ones. p/s Silveryaspen: I am back! ;-)

wayoffcenter - 2008-12-09: 05:31:00
But old games have already been decided and have major point advantages over any new entries. It stops regular contributors from playing. They already have a word entered for this contest.

logarithm - 2008-12-09: 07:02:00
It's a contest?

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-12-09: 07:05:00
Hey Silvery et al, Oops! Double replay. I have now updated today's definition. See it here: Isn't it a bit early to be wearing Christmas decorations? Be creative, James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-12-09: 07:17:00
Yes, logarithm, it's a game. We have daily and weekly winners. The winning word of the day gets printed in the "b", Baltimore's free daily newspaper. See: b the paper. ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-03-25: 00:11:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James