Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A harmless untruth, intended to comfort simple souls. v. To use a little bit a fiction to smooth over the perplexities and complexities of life.
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.
Frib
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: fribb
Sentence: As was his nature, Alexander once again passed along a frib when asked a hard question with a potentially embarrasing answer, a tiny untruth that was told to spare the feelings of his friend.
Etymology: Blend of the words 'fib' (small lie) and 'rib'...to poke fun or make light of.
Totalloss
Created by: josje
Pronunciation: total loss
Sentence: my life my brain my body are all total loss
Etymology: total as in complete Loss as in lost
Enfabler
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: en fay belur
Sentence: Most parents are enfablers to ease their little ones through life's stages. Case in point is when the kiddies start losing their baby teeth. If the tooth in question is put under the child's pillow, their parents tell them that the Tooth Fairy will take it away while they sleep and leave them money. Truth is, they should tell the kids to put away that money for when their adult teeth start falling out and they need to pay a dentist huge sums to replace them...
Etymology: Enabler (one who can render capable or able for some task; makes it easier) & Fable (a deliberately false or improbable account; a short moral story; often using imaginary or supernatural events)
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COMMENTS:
You mean there IS no tooth fairy?
I'm shattered! - metrohumanx, 2009-11-02: 01:48:00
Relax, though...there is a Santa Claus and an Easter Bunny! - Nosila, 2009-11-02: 09:29:00
So trutooth. - splendiction, 2009-11-02: 23:13:00
splendid - mweinmann, 2009-11-03: 07:52:00
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Fabriplacate
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: fab-ri-pley-keyt
Sentence: Sometimes people just can't handle the truth so sometimes it is easier to fabriplacate them with a little white lie.
Etymology: fabricate (to fake; forge) + placate (calm, appease)
Elieixer
Created by: porsche
Pronunciation: ee/lye/ixur
Sentence: The elieixer of the day is that the TTC stands for "the better way". It actually stands for "take the car"
Etymology: elixir + lie
Patricoddle
Created by: Sed8ed
Pronunciation: pa-tree-cod-el
Sentence: Joe found it easier to patricoddle the man who accosted him daily from the alley asking for two bits, rather than being rude and scaring him away.
Etymology: patri from patronize + coddle (to pamper, or whatever you like) = patricoddle
Foma
Created by: vonnegut
Pronunciation: fo-ma
Sentence: Nothing in this book is true. "Live by the foma* that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy." The Books of Bokonon. I: 5
Etymology: Created by Kurt Vonnegut for Cat's Cradle, published in 1963.
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COMMENTS:
foma - accept no substitutes. - Alchemist, 2007-04-16: 06:51:00
we can't go through the whole week respelling Vonneguts words....or can we? - rikboyee, 2007-04-16: 09:24:00
It's the best way to win the prize.... :-) - jedijawa, 2007-04-16: 12:54:00
What's the singular? And should I have heard of Vonnegut? Has he been on TV? Recently? Bliss. - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-16: 15:11:00
The singular form is "fomum", like phenomena (plural) and phenomenum (signular). Comes from Latin. Did you study Latin in highschool? I did, and I'm still trying to get over it. - wordmeister, 2007-04-16: 15:22:00
It's all Greek to me! - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-16: 16:14:00
you can even go into the news/blog section and it will tell you which word this definition comes from.... i honestly feel that using Vonneguts word taints the wampeter of our humble karass - rikboyee, 2007-04-16: 17:44:00
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Fibfort
Created by: remistram
Pronunciation: fib-fort
Sentence: Clarence told many fibforts to his grandkids just before bed time.
Etymology: fib (lie) + comfort (minus the com)
Sugarsatz
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: SHOOG-ur-sats
Sentence: Alex realised that the president's speech about victory in the war and a glowing economy was just a pile of sugarsatz.
Etymology: sugar + ersatz (fake). The initial "sh" sound also calls to mind a certain four-letter word which often fits this definition, as well. Moreover, "sugarsatz" sounds vaguely Yiddish, from which American English derives many words that couldalsofitthebill.
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COMMENTS:
Heady ... I like that. - jedijawa, 2007-04-16: 12:54:00
Agree. I forgot what erstaz meant! - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-16: 14:30:00
From above: ersatz (fake) - mplsbohemian, 2007-04-16: 15:24:00
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Lieability
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ly ab ili tee
Sentence: Kurt's lieability helped improve his likeability.
Etymology: Lie (untruth;to deceive) & Ability ( possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done0 & Woredplay on Liability (the quality of being something that holds you back)
Comments:
ErWenn - 2007-04-16: 08:00:00
Best verbotoon ever. So it goes, buddy, so it goes.
ErWenn - 2007-04-16: 08:20:00
Just noticed what was written on the typewriter. Ha!
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
RE: "Best Verbotoon Ever" Thanks ErWenn! However I must say it was all inspired by KV himself. So it goes... ~ James
See the top 4 words of the day at Yeah, I'm in heaven now ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
wurdless - 2008-07-12: 15:23:00
Vonnegut is cool!
reverb - 2008-07-12: 15:31:00
cat's cradle rocks
Today's definition was suggested by vonnegut. Thank you vonnegut. ~ James
Live it or live WITH it!