Vote for the best verboticism.

'Now be a good boy, and pick up your socks'

DEFINITION: v. To use animal training techniques to improve and direct the behavior of other people. n. A technique which uses the principles of animal training to solve a human behavioral riddle.

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.

Obediencesocool

Created by: splendiction

Pronunciation: rhymes with "obedience school"

Sentence: They had tried everything, it seemed, to eliminate their son’s thumbsucking: behaviour modification, ignoring, even praise. Nothing worked until obediencesocool! The idea of simply complying with their requests actually became the new cool thing to do! They hoped this new trend would last and spawn similar trends.

Etymology: A play on a dog "obedience school".

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

Cool word...what you have to do with teens these days... - Nosila, 2009-06-30: 01:22:00

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

| Comments and Points

Humanitrainer

Created by: phoenix89

Pronunciation: hue - man- ee- trainer

Sentence: The one thing motivational speakers and animal trainers have in common is that they each teach their own audience how to become better.Some people can train their pets but need training themselves.Thats when you introduce the Humanitrainer. A session or few will have that human in shape in no time.

Etymology: human ( the one reading this paper) trainer ( someone who guides or educates another in a specific area)

| Comments and Points

Fidoisum

Created by: abrakadeborah

Pronunciation: Fy-dow-is-um

Sentence: Sally always knew how to get her way with Grant all she had to do was offer a "fidoisum" and he jumped! Grant knew the rewards were soon in sight and in just a few moments he would be Sally's lap dawg...

Etymology: Fido;Name for a dog. Isum;To be treated like a dog then to act like a dog, to fetch & roll over and do tricks:)~

| Comments and Points

Shamu

Verbotomy

Created by: Verbotomy

Pronunciation: Sham-moo

Sentence: Shamu the proper noun has become the all-purpose verb in our house. It's shorthand for using the principles of animal training to solve a behavioral riddle. We shamu friends, family, and neighbors. We shamu each other. "Did you just shamu me?" we will ask the other.

Etymology: Shamu is the stage name for the star Orcas (killer whales) at SeaWorld, that inspired the title of Amy Sutherland's book, "What Shamu Taught Me".

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

Verbotomy The sentence is direct quote from Amy's book where she explains how she has adopted the word. ~ James - Verbotomy, 2008-05-19: 00:15:00

When this happens to me, I feel so Shamused. - Tigger, 2008-05-19: 02:54:00

Very shamutable! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-19: 06:38:00

Verbotomy Yes, if we apply shamu to creativity we get a shamutation. ~ James - Verbotomy, 2008-05-19: 15:46:00

I think it's time for as a serious stuff, what about the science, theory or study of shamu: "Shamulogy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-20: 22:26:00

Oops! I think it's time for the serious stuff, what about the science, theory or study of shamu: "Shamulogy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-20: 22:29:00

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

| Comments and Points

Psycholdoggy

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: sigh-COL-dog-e

Sentence: Sue-Ellen soon wised up she could manage her children's own behaviour modification for the cost of an obedience training course for her pet. There was no reason to pay out megabucks on a professional, when she was an expert psycholdogist.

Etymology: psychology + dog

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

nice and original - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-19: 14:19:00

I think that's happened to me. Good one! - Mustang, 2008-05-19: 23:52:00

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

| Comments and Points

Pavlove

Created by: stache

Pronunciation: pāv'lŭv'

Sentence: Janelle would pavlove Bart every night when he came home without the smell of cigarettes and beer about him; eventually, Bart stopped going to Moe's for drinks after work.

Etymology: Pavlov, Ivan, Russian physiologist who is best known for discovering the conditioned response; love, to have or express affection for another; also, sexual passion or desire.

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

nice! - galwaywegian, 2008-05-19: 14:06:00

Excellent word. Makes me salivate. lol - Mustang, 2008-05-19: 14:36:00

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

| Comments and Points

Beaubedience

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: bōbēdēəns

Sentence: Jill believes in beaubedience. Her boyfriend knows how to behave because she has taught him well. Just last week when he spilled milk on the kitchen counter, she rubbed his nose in it and barked at him. At least she has given up smacking him with rolled-up newspaper.

Etymology: beau (a boyfriend or male admirer) + obedience (compliance with someone\'s wishes or orders or acknowledgment of their authority)

| Comments and Points

Reinforceman

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: re-in-force-man

Sentence: Lia found that Max responded well to positive reinforceman one day by accident when she came home and found the dishes were done. She fussed on him, grilled his favorite steak and bought him a six-pack. Max immediately got up after the meal and did the dishes. Later that night while watching Victoria Stilwell train a Rottweiler on "It's Me or the Dog" she had a revelation. Perhaps she could teach Max to put the toilet seat down if she used a really good reward. She decided to learn some training techniques from Victoria and immediately went to the mall to get a little treat for him from Victoria's Secret.

Etymology: reinforcement + man: in Operant Conditioning reinforcement occurs when an event following a response will increase the likelihood of that response happening again. Animals trained with reinforcement techniques are trained by using treats and praise instead of negative reinforcement. Victoria Stilwell is a dog trainer on Animal Planet who uses reinforcement on ill-mannered dogs.

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

Clever word and story.... - mweinmann, 2009-06-30: 08:03:00

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

| Comments and Points

Circusitous

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: sir/cus/i/tus

Sentence: I used a circusitous route but the leash worked wonders for keeping the kids in check.

Etymology: circus + circuitous (devious)

| Comments and Points

Reinforcemen

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: re-in-force-men

Sentence: Paula used both positive and negative reinforcemen to get whatever she wanted. Her technique included the rewards of steaks, sports, beer, and the occasional night out with the boys; however, she discovered that sex could be used both positively as a reward and negatively by withdrawing the reward when appropriate.

Etymology: reinforcement: technic whereby the delivery of a stimulus, good or bad, after a response increases the likelihood of the behavior repeating. + men: creatures that have been test subjects for women since the dawn of civilization

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-19: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's new book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Now Amy has invented her own word for this and it's "Shamu", so I have added it today's list of verboticisms! Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-06-29: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage", where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Of course, Amy has invented her own word for this -- "Shamu". Let's see what we come up with now... Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-07-19: 00:41:00
Today's definition was suggested by amysutherland. Thank you amysutherland. ~ James