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
Pepsquawk
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: pepskwôk
Sentence: Week after week the manager would deliver a pepsqualk to her staff. Her crew’s response has been to adopt a hedgehog as a mascot. They told her that a hedgehog is an industrious critter that will ”dig in” and defend its home. The fact is that the picture they posted for motivation is actually a shrew.
Etymology: pep talk (a talk intended to make someone feel more courageous or enthusiastic) + squawk (make a loud, harsh noise)
Demeanipulash
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: DEE-meen-NIP-yoo-lash
Sentence: I watched with sadness as my co-workers shuffled meekly to the multipurpose chamber for yet another meaningless motivational meeting with the horrid hag. This would be the last time she would DEMEANIPULASH the library staff. Today, her snidespotism would end. Her cretin-nice remarks and jocular jibes had had crushed the spirit of too many good trenchmates. Now she would pay. As the belittlement began, I silently switched on the timer that would detonate the briefcase full of gelegnite after we left for our coffee break..............SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS !
Etymology: DEMEAn+maNIPULate+lASH=DEMEANIPULASH___ Demean:to debase or degrade; Middle English demenen, from Anglo-French demener to conduct, from de- + mener to lead, from Latin minare to drive, from minari to threaten___ Manipulate: to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage___ Lash: to punish with a whip; a cutting remark
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COMMENTS:
http://drminz.com/DR._MINZ_EYES_AND_EARS_INC/THE_BEARS.html - metrohumanx, 2008-08-05: 07:05:00
disregard previous link-it's incomplete. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-05: 07:27:00
Try this one instead:
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/aug/firesign/ - metrohumanx, 2008-08-05: 07:32:00
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Demeanager
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: duh-meen-aj-err
Sentence: he liked his job but he couldn't stand his new demeanager
Etymology: demean, manager
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COMMENTS:
Was the demeanager a good derision-maker. - petaj, 2007-06-12: 08:00:00
Slurly you can't be supercilious. The demeanager was emcloyee of the smear. Don't friendsult his inelegance. - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 09:31:00
great word rikboyee - I'll definitely use this one - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-12: 10:57:00
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Compliminsult
Created by: couv78
Pronunciation: Com-pli-min-sult
Sentence: She just told me that the report looks good but she reckons she could have had a monkey do it and get the same result - I think she just compliminsulted me?
Etymology: From Compliment and Insult
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
Zingersatzpur
Created by: ohwtepph
Pronunciation: zih-nger-zatz-purr
Sentence: Berta fired zingersatzpurs out of his mouth at 200 zingersatzpurs per minute at her lover, just like any professional zingersatzpurs would. She ended her wild volley of insults with, "Keep on doing that and I will love you for the rest of my life."
Etymology: [German... LOL. i keed, i keed] (insult) zinger + ersatz (false) + spur (encourage)
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COMMENTS:
I am both frightened and elated by this word of yours. - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 10:03:00
Glad to know you're having mixed emotaunts! - ohwtepph, 2007-06-13: 08:48:00
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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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Deniagrate
Created by: administraitor
Pronunciation: deny-a-grate
Sentence: Her manager's constant efforts to deniagrate her performance finally led Carol to implement her exit strategy.
Etymology: denial + denigrate
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COMMENTS:
your name, administraitor, would have worked well with this definition - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-12: 16:29:00
What a difference a vowel makes! - administraitor, 2007-06-12: 16:32:00
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Winsult
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: win sult
Sentence: When Alxis wanted to motivate her top sales people, she used reverse psychology on them. She'd treat them so badly and abased them, that they would prove her wrong by outdoing themselves. Their success was their best revenge on her. Her winsult approach opened up a whole new career for her on the self-help book and lecture circuit.
Etymology: Win (be successful, attain a goal) & Insult (treat, mention, or speak to rudely)
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