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.
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
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
Facadeist
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: fass add ist
Sentence: When Joan Collins played Alexis I-don't-Care-ington Coldby on "Dynasty" everyone thought she was a great actress, as well as an 80's clothes-horse supreme. She could work a room of naive men and fool millions of viewers. That is until those cat-fight scenes with her arch-rival, he ex Blake's new wife,Krystle (Linda Evans)...then they realized that those kissy, kissy, let's do lunch real soon, have your people call my people overtures were the mark of a real facadeist. Yes, they should have named the series after her, Die-Nasty!
Etymology: facade (a showy misrepresentation intended to conceal something unpleasant or being two-faced, not showing what you really feel) & sadist (someone who obtains pleasure from inflicting pain on others)
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COMMENTS:
Latent loathing lingers. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-05: 07:17:00
Spot On ! - Wordotwist, 2008-08-05: 09:34:00
Great word AND soap opera sniglet! - lumina, 2008-08-05: 12:26:00
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Ensluragement
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: en-slur-age-ment
Sentence: Margot was always ready to give ensluragement whenever someone got above their raisin by thinking they could do her job as well as she did. That way she could eliminate the competition and still sound like she was trying to help her underlings.
Etymology: encouragement: to inspire hope, courage or confidence + slur: to talk about disparagingly or insultingly; to cast a disparaging remark
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COMMENTS:
It takes slurrage to stand up to your subordinates. - artr, 2010-01-06: 09:20:00
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Mortfortify
Created by: porsche
Pronunciation: mort/fort/i/fye
Sentence: The sales manager managed to mortfortify his team on a daily basis. He told them they were all stars, outperforming last years numbers to such a degree that he would hire more staff and thus reduce their bonuses
Etymology: mortify + fortify
Procurstinator
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: pro_CURS-tin-ayt=er
Sentence: Elaine was a hard core procurstinator, using insults that she dressed up as compliments in order to motivate her staff.
Etymology: Blend of prefix 'pro' (for, or positive) and 'curse' (v. to swear or condemn). Play on the word procrastinator
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)
Galvannihilate
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: gal-van-eye-a-late
Sentence: The staff were conflicted by their boss. "You fat &*!£s need to show me what ya got!" she would yell. After a team hug and a pep talk they'd rush back to their desks feeling excited. But there was also a lingering sense of humiliation. They'd been well and truly galvannihilated.
Etymology: galvanise (to stimulate or excite) + annihilate (to destroy)
Insultivate
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: in sul tiv ayt
Sentence: When Joan Collins played Alexis Carrington on "Dynasty", she regularly would insultivate the other actors. They were sure that the vixenish Joan was using reverse psychology on them to improve their performances and make their reactions to her onscreen more lifelike. They never did realize that Joan relished abusing them, thanks mainly to another Collins always in her dressing room...frequent stiffeners of Tom Collins.
Etymology: Insult (to treat, mention, or speak to rudely) & Motivate (to give an incentive for action)
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