Vote for the best verboticism.

'Yeah, I'm in heaven now.'

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.

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Verboticisms

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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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Nayverily

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: nay - VERR - uh - lee

Sentence: Spinning yet another nayverily, Nathan assured his family and friends that his emaciated state and absence of energy was due to his strict diet and not the result of serious disease, though his doctor had told him otherwise.

Etymology: Blend of nay ... 'deny', and verily...'truth'

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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.

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Fibrication

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: fibrəkāshən

Sentence: Where did I come from? What happened to fluffy? Does this dress look good on me? What do you think of my artwork? Do you love me? Questions like these can spark fibrication.

Etymology: fib (a lie, typically an unimportant one) + fabrication (invent or concoct (something), typically with deceitful intent)

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Saidafib

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: sed/a/fib

Sentence: A saidafib should be taken at bedtime to discourage nightmares.

Etymology: said a fib + sedative

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COMMENTS:

I like it... - Nosila, 2008-06-23: 22:03:00

Sounds funny when you say it out loud - wordmeister, 2008-06-24: 00:33:00

Clevre. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-24: 08:09:00

"Sedafib" would have been nice too. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-24: 08:15:00

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Lightwry

americanogig

Created by: americanogig

Pronunciation: Light-wry.

Sentence: She asked me if the dress that was two sizes too small made her look fat. Considering my options, I figured it was time for a lightwry.

Etymology: A combination of the words light and wry, a variation on white lie.

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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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Spinnice

Created by: Osomatic

Pronunciation: spin + nice

Sentence: Sometimes you have to just throw out a few spinnices to settle folks down.

Etymology: spin + nice.

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Blancamuse

Created by: theDoad

Pronunciation: blank-ah-mewze

Sentence: "I'm sorry, what did you say? I'm afraid I was blancamusing the whole scenario!"

Etymology:

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Placeebull

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: pla/see/bull

Sentence: 'Hard work always pays off' - a placeebull to keep workers motivated

Etymology: placebo + bull (as in bullshit) (had to put the second e in my word to emphasize sound)

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COMMENTS:

okayee - galwaywegian, 2007-04-16: 06:30:00

Ain't it the truth!?! - Sed8ed, 2007-04-16: 06:33:00

petaj That example sounds like an alfalsism. Or a generaLIEzation. - petaj, 2007-04-16: 06:37:00

That's a great play on words! - jedijawa, 2007-04-16: 12:56:00

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Show All or More...

 

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!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-16: 15:03:00
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-16: 15:12:00
RE: "Best Verbotoon Ever" Thanks ErWenn! However I must say it was all inspired by KV himself. So it goes... ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-17: 16:11:00
See the top 4 words of the day at Yeah, I'm in heaven now ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-06-23: 00:01:00
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

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-11-02: 00:00:00
Today's definition was suggested by vonnegut. Thank you vonnegut. ~ James

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2009-11-02: 01:42:00
Live it or live WITH it!