Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To remain calm, steadfast and ploddingly systematic in the midst of a huge freaking disaster. n. A person who systematizes everything from their morning routines to personal relationships.
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.
Hystericool
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /hi-STER-i-kool/
Sentence: The whole family was going on summer vacation again — to Disney World this year — with Jane, her husband, their five kids, her in-laws and two cousins. Every year, it was Jane's job to organize the family's packing and get everyone ready to rush to the airport as soon as Jack, her husband, got home from work; and Jack was always late. With screaming kids running all around her, Jane calmly walked through the house, grabbed Grandpa Joe's medicine, Jennie's retainer, James' Game-Boy and Jill's iPod, dropped them into the appropriate suitcases while snatching a flying T-shirt out of the air and packing that too. While chaos erupted around her, Jane remained hystericool. She didn't even sweat a drop when she and Jack rode the Space Mountain ride. As the ride stopped, Jack leaned over and gave 'his Coolamity Jane' a smile and a big kiss.
Etymology: Hysterical - behavior characterized by excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic (from Greek, hysterikos "of the womb, suffering in the womb") + Cool - not excited; calm, especially during times of stress (from Pre-Germanic, koluz "cold, to freeze")
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COMMENTS:
HYSTERICOOL is beautiful- and obviously based on an all-too-real personal experience. Love it! - metrohumanx, 2008-07-10: 07:58:00
great word tigger - Jabberwocky, 2008-07-10: 09:33:00
Actually metro, I was thinking of the beginning of the movie 'Home Alone' and Catherine O'Hara's character when I wrote that. But anyone with that many kids to travel with ought to be a complete wreck, even if she does forget one... - Tigger, 2008-07-10: 10:54:00
I love it! And that "sentence!" We are all aspiring writers I think... :) Great read! - lumina, 2008-07-10: 18:43:00
Good one, Tigger...gives one hystericool laughter! - Nosila, 2008-07-10: 23:19:00
Another great word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-07-11: 18:24:00
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Ablomb
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: uh-BLAHM
Sentence: Alex faced his simultaneous flu, audit, firing, and computer crash with ablomb.
Etymology: aplomb in the face of a bomb
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COMMENTS:
great word - petaj, 2007-05-11: 02:12:00
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Flusterbuster
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: fluh-stir-buh-stir
Sentence: While other spill responders were running around chaotically, I was able to flusterbuster the calm of Stuporman, knowing full well that the "white powdery substance" in the men's room was likely some guy's athlete's foot treatment.
Etymology: fluster, buster
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COMMENTS:
That has a neat sound to it! - jedijawa, 2007-05-10: 11:45:00
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Methodicool
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: meth-odd-i-cool
Sentence: 007 was so methodicool that even in the midst of an attack by 500 professional bad guys he was able to remain calm and composed. Not only did he come up with a solution to destroy evil, kill all the bad guys and save the world; but his hair stayed perfectly in place the whole time, even in a Jaguar with the top down, making him even cooler and attractive to hot babes who wore bikinis to work.
Etymology: methodical: characterized by ordered and systematic habits or behavior + cool: marked by calm self-control; to be all that
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COMMENTS:
That's 007 - never shaken or stirred! - Nosila, 2009-11-26: 09:14:00
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Indexhaustive
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: in-decks-orst-ive
Sentence: In the face of disaster, Sarah got tunnel vision. As her exasperated boyfriend pakced his suitcase to leave for a new life, she followed him round and indexhaustively rearranged the books he wasn't taking into alphabetical order.
Etymology: index (to put into order) + exhaustive (tiring out, draining) + ex (former partner or spouse)
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COMMENTS:
cute - Nosila, 2011-04-15: 11:30:00
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Apocalypstoicism
Created by: Trystera
Pronunciation: "ah-POCK-uh-lips-TOE-iss-izm"
Sentence: His convertible was on fire, the killer in the backseat had a knife to his throat, and they were driving through the Rabid Grizzly Wildlife Refuge with the top down and two flat tires, but Ed merely smiled placidly and turned up the radio, his apocalypstoicism prevailing.
Etymology: Apocalypse + Stoicism
Shitcreeksurfing
Created by: katytee
Pronunciation:
Sentence: One good thing about an outbreak of the Ebola virus was that the queues at Tesco's customer service desk were always greatly reduced, thought John - who was one of life's natural shitcreeksurfers, and a bit of a pedantic git.
Etymology: To be 'up shit creek without a paddle' and take the opportunity for a spot of healthy exercise on your canoe.
Zensible
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: zen/si/bol
Sentence: Joe is zensible in the worst situations, remaining centered and focussed on what needs to be done to avert disaster and calmly following through.
Etymology: ZEN (calmness and enlightenment through meditation and self-contemplation) + SENSIBLE (having, using, or showing good sense, or sound judgmen)
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COMMENTS:
I hope that Joe's ZENSIBILITY carries the day when the shrouded head of doom rears it's ugly head on the horizon. - metrohumanx, 2008-07-10: 08:01:00
nice - Jabberwocky, 2008-07-10: 09:26:00
Joe must frink Dr. ZenZen, that German wine...a lot! Zentrifugal! - Nosila, 2008-07-10: 23:18:00
Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-07-11: 18:06:00
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Browniejob
Created by: TimTheEnchanter
Pronunciation: BROW-nee-jahb
Sentence: When the massive 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Los Angeles, the Governator refused to cancel his vacation to the Caribbean to help facilitate relief efforts, thus giving a big browniejob to the people of southern California.
Etymology: From the infamous pronouncement "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job!" by US President George W. Bush to FEMA director Mike Brown, whose organization was ineffective, bureaucratic, and just plain slow providing help to the people of New Orleans following the hurricane Katrina disaster. ALTERNATE/DISPUTED ETYMOLOGY: Refers to the victims of a disaster getting figuratively sh*t upon by the people in power who refuse to raise their energy level in the face of a crisis.
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COMMENTS:
BROWNIEJOB: damn straight! - metrohumanx, 2008-07-10: 20:52:00
Terrific. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-07-11: 18:25:00
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Panicstilled
Created by: Maureen
Pronunciation: pan-ic-stil-d
Sentence: "Darling come home quickly, the tree has fallen across the house, all the windows are broken and the dog is dead." Mark, ever the panicstiller, said "Don't worry sweeheart I'll pick up a spade on the way home so we can bury poor Charlie."
Etymology: Panic - a state of terror and Still - calm, tranquil.
Comments:
Today's definition was inspired by Cory Doctorow's short story "When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth" which is published in Overclocked, and was suggested by autophile. Thank you Cory and autophile! ~ James
I'm still grinning at this one. Well done!
Today's definition was suggested by doctorow. Thank you doctorow. ~ James