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'Ahhh! My hair! Don't let them see me like this!'

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.

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Verboticisms

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Catastaunch

Created by: ErWenn

Pronunciation: /kəˈtæˌstɔːntʃ/

Sentence: When calamity strikes, it's often surprising to see who steps up to catastaunch the flow of disaster; it's not always whom you expect.

Etymology: from catastrophe + staunch (meaning both "steadfast" and "to stop the flow of")

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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.

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Chilloose

Created by: eiggy

Pronunciation: chill+loose

Sentence: Shirley: Oh no! Fire-breathing miniature elephants have invaded Chicago! We're doomed! Wellington: Chilloosen up, honey. There's no way Oprah would allow that kind of nonsense.

Etymology: from Latin ciele (cold) and Middle English loos (free from bonds)

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Nincalmpoop

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: nin/cawm/poop

Sentence: A nincalmpoop remains calm in an emergency because he doesn't understand its ramifications. e.g. Just stand with me under this tall oak tree until the thunder and lightening have stopped.

Etymology: nincompoop + calm

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COMMENTS:

Funny! - TJayzz, 2008-07-10: 10:24:00

Ditto - OZZIEBOB, 2008-07-11: 18:10:00

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Catatoniclysmic

Created by: airlie

Pronunciation: KAT-a-ton-uh-KLIZ-mic

Sentence: Gazing upon Geraldine's panicked visage, Irving remained catatoniclysmic. He knew what to do. This was no crisis, this was merely one of those moments that make life worth smiling about. "AAAAHGGGH!" screeched Geraldine. "My hair! Don't let them see me like this!" She gripped his shirt, knuckles white, fabric strained to button-popping point. Irving blinked slowly, and a beatific smile spread across his face. "Don't panic, honey." He soothed. "I'm the sysadmin! I'll 403 everyone." Geraldine breathed a sigh of relief... and her relief lasted for a millesecond until she caught sight of her fire-engine red and day-old-bruise purple coiffe in the mirror. She fled to the bathroom in hysterics. Irving blinked slowly.

Etymology: CATACLYSM: any violent upheaval, esp. one of a social or political nature + CATATONIC, adjectival form of CATATONIA: a syndrome seen most frequently in schizophrenia, characterized by muscular rigidity and mental stupor, sometimes alternating with great excitement and confusion

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx CATATONICLYSMIC is hilarious! Great word, Airlie... - metrohumanx, 2008-07-10: 08:02:00

terrific word - Jabberwocky, 2008-07-10: 09:29:00

Very gloomly; very great word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-07-11: 18:11:00

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Staotic

Created by: ekath

Pronunciation: stay-ot-tick

Sentence: Todd is so staotic that he didn't even cry out when the acid splashed in his face... he just calmly went over and pulled the safety shower. When it fire-hosed him into the ground, he shakily stood up and asked to go to the nurse's office. Carol should have been more like Todd.

Etymology: from stable + chaotic

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Browniechannelize

Created by: cohenarie

Pronunciation: brow ne CHAN el iz

Sentence: As liquid began to flood from the clogged restaurant toilet, I browniechannelized - stepping carefully out of the bathroom, to avoid soiling my shoes, I passed the problem on to a waitress, indicating that "someone might need to check the women's restroom."

Etymology: "Yer doing a great job, Brownie." I focused on the 'plodding' aspect of the definition (and the absense of any indication that the reaction was effective or appropriate.)

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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:

petaj great word - petaj, 2007-05-11: 02:12:00

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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:

metrohumanx 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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Disastill

Created by: ziggy41

Pronunciation: Diz-as-til

Sentence: How could anyone ever be so disastill after that huge cataclysm! My stubbed foot will be in pain for days.

Etymology: Disaster (a catastrophy) + still (calm and unmoved)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-05-10: 00:01:00
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

nostalgia75 nostalgia75 - 2008-07-10: 13:08:00
I'm still grinning at this one. Well done!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-11-26: 00:04:00
Today's definition was suggested by doctorow. Thank you doctorow. ~ James