Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To exercise power through the strategic use of personal insults, while pretending to offer encouragement. n. A leader who motivates people by insulting them.
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.
Disencourage
Created by: rephil
Pronunciation: dis-en-CUR-adj
Sentence: Martha made it a point to disencourage everyone in her office before noon every day.
Etymology: dis -- not; encourage -- to support
Hellnotivate
Created by: Katisms1
Pronunciation: hell-NO!-tive-ate
Sentence: Maintaining his hard-won reputation as a total S.O.B., the department manager would sneeringly "hellnotivate" his sales team into action with an endless stream of backhanded compliments.
Etymology: "(Oh) hell, no!" [Indignant reaction to the realization that the compliment one thought one just received was actually an insult.] + motivate
Vinspire
Created by: headlibrarian
Pronunciation: \vin-ˈspī(-ə)r\
Sentence: Coach Jensen, the high school tennis coach, would vinspire me with cheers of "With big-ass feet like yours, Haggerty, you're gonna foot-fault your way to a forfeit. You'll score more points by just standing still."
Etymology: Vindictive (intended to cause anguish or hurt) + Inspire (to spur on; motivate)
Obsucinsult
Created by: texmom
Pronunciation: Ob shew ur in sult
Sentence: After that obscurinsult she didn't know whether to thank her boss or cry
Etymology: obscure + insult Yes, I misspelled it and can't go back
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COMMENTS:
I meant it to be obscurinsult... but maybe... I should just leave it like it is. - texmom, 2007-06-12: 07:23:00
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Lapsojudgement
Created by: kymar
Pronunciation: lapse - o - judgement
Sentence: I could tell by the look on my bosses face, that what she was about to say to me would be yet another example of her lapsojudgment.
Etymology: Momentary lapse in judgement
Dumotivation
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: duhm-oh-tuh-vey-shuhn
Sentence: Lucy thought she could use dumotivation to get her staff going. If she acted like they were stupid, they would strive to prove her wrong. A good number of her employees showed just how smart they were by finding new jobs where they were treated with respect.
Etymology: dumb (lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted) + motivation (inspiration, inducement)
Falrientism
Created by: protothor
Pronunciation: fall-ree-int-ism
Sentence: An expert of falrientism, even as the young boy in the back of the opposing car audited his middle finger, his smile led to unspoken compliments.
Etymology: From 'falsity' and 'charientism', a word that means basically the same thing.
Dozenator
Created by: readerwriter
Pronunciation: duz-en-ate; duz-en-a-tor
Sentence: She came on like she was from the hood, street-smart, street-wise, getting it on, taking us down with her tongue. Man, she thought she was original Dozenator, the Queen of Put Downs. But, it was all a show. "Heh, heh...Just jivin' ya," she always said in quick retreat.
Etymology: From the slang, "dozens," meaning to put others down + ate/ ator, giving action and/or title
Mastard
Created by: Clayton
Pronunciation: MAS-terd
Sentence: H. Clancy Pettigrew was a mastard of insultimate penuriousadism. His misanthrapaciousness was rivaled only by his truculentertaining friendishness.
Etymology: master + bastard
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COMMENTS:
Interestingly, there is a rhetorical term for the art of insulting people without them knowing it: Charientism. Traditionally it means "the act of stating something objectionable in an agreeable manner." - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 08:25:00
I love this sentence. It's a cornucopious assemblerection of tonguetwisting verbsmithery. - petaj, 2007-06-12: 08:41:00
I get it from years of reading Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty. Please don't tell anyone! - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 08:48:00
you're secret's safe with me. - jadenguy, 2007-06-12: 10:01:00
Nooooo! The only way three people can keep a secret is if two of me are already dead! Now I'll have to start reading other lunatics with undying affinities for pointless displays of frantic hippopotomonstrosesquipedalianism. - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 10:11:00
Wow! love the sentence - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-12: 15:00:00
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Comments:
The second step in Timothy Johnson's GUST process is Understanding. And apparently, based on the number of definitions we received on this topic, everybody understands what it is like to have a bad boss. Today's definition was suggested by ohwtepph , suzanne, and remistram. Thank you ohwtepph, suzanne, remistram, and Timothy! ~ James
lumina - 2008-08-07: 13:49:00
Wow! So fun and an honor to have come up with the "winning" word. "I'd like to thank the Academy, my parents and of course Jesus." ha Thanks to the voters! (she says as the music starts playing and the tap dancing man with the hook from the gong show comes into view...)
Today's definition was suggested by ohwtepph. Thank you ohwtepph. ~ James