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.
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:
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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Disafearance
Created by: lumina
Pronunciation: dis/a/feer/ance
Sentence: When Julie found herself on an emergency Walmart run at 2 in the morning, she was glad she had mastered disafearance. No way did she want her ex and his model girlfriend to know how humiliated she was to be seen in her holey sweats as well as braless.
Etymology: the ability to "disappear" from the siight of others due to intense "fear" of being seen.
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COMMENTS:
DISAFEARANCE needed in a brave new world... - metrohumanx, 2008-07-10: 20:54:00
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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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Fiascool
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: fēˈaskoōl
Sentence: Kelly is completely unflappable to the point of being fiascool. In fact she could be classified as debaclaxed, accidentranquil or castrophlegmatic.
Etymology: fiasco (a thing that is a complete failure, esp. in a ludicrous or humiliating way) + cool (calmly audacious)
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)
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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Logivere
Created by: zrotv
Pronunciation: loj - i - vir
Sentence: despite the insanity, we managed to logivere the situation, and solve each problem in turn.
Etymology: logic + persevere
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.
Tranquilamity
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: tran kwill am a tee
Sentence: His name was Placido The Gringo. He was a tech on 13th Floor who spoke the lingo. Besides his accessibility, he was blessed with sensibility and tranquilamity. When the alarms sounded flammibility in our facility, Placido shut down the systems auotmatically, with unflapability. While others did panic and behave manic, he was a stalwart systematic. Last to be rescued, he unfortunately miscued. It's a pity that the smoke affected his motility, so he'll now face permanent sterility. This will hurt him, no doubt, when his employer finds out. Because working for Xerox, Placido was in charge of reproductivity.
Etymology: Tranquility (a state of peace and quiet; a disposition free from stress or emotion)& Calamity (an event resulting in great loss and misfortune)
Syssedate
Created by: Rhyme79
Pronunciation: siss-seh-date
Sentence: "Queenie is so sysedate despite the madness in this office. I don't know how she does it!"
Etymology: Amalgamation of the words 'system' and 'sedate'.
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