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.
Simplifictionalize
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: simp - le - fik - shun - all - iz
Sentence: Since Sally couldn't quite explain the circumstances of her whereabouts, she decided to simplictionalize her story. She felt that it took out the complexity of the situation and put it into a scenario that was better understandable by her family.
Etymology: simplify, fictionalize
Pacifib
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: pass-i-fib
Sentence: Mommy quickly crafted a pacifib when Nora noticed that Goldie was not in her bowl one day after school. She put the little princess on her lap, gave her a hug, and told her a wonderful tale about how Goldie was invited to go with her fish friends to the Wild Water Kingdom instead of admitting that it went belly up and was flushed down the toilet. Nora, an especially precocious five year old wasn't buying it. She became inconsolable and made Mommy take her to the pet store immediately for a new fish.
Etymology: pacify: to calm, mollify or make peaceful + fib: insignificant or childish lie
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COMMENTS:
Cute word! - artr, 2009-11-02: 11:27:00
great word! - mweinmann, 2009-11-03: 07:51:00
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Pliecebo
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: ply-see-boh
Sentence: He was happy to soothe her with a simple pliecebo
Etymology: lie, placebo
Santootheastorkfairbunnyism
Created by: Sharpedgeshurt
Pronunciation: San-tooth-eest-oark-fayr-buh-nee-izm
Sentence: "I don't care, I'm still not using sleeping pills." The insomniac argued when told by the receptionist that he wouldn't be able to get an appointment with the Sand Man because he was a santootheastorkfairbunnyism.
Etymology: First used in mid 1980's during a drunken round of "Say-all-the-fictional-childhood-characters-that-visit-your-house, in-one-breath game." It has rarely been used since.
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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Placifier
Created by: jedijawa
Pronunciation: plah-sih-fie-er
Sentence: Tom told a placifier when he told his aging mother that he was dating again.
Etymology: placid + pacifier
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COMMENTS:
Congratulations on your overall weekly win last week! Some great words!! - Stevenson0, 2007-04-16: 12:53:00
missed this one the first time round - glad I still had a vote left - great word - Jabberwocky, 2007-04-18: 09:08:00
Thanks guys. I'm having hard time with the words this week but you guys are kicking butt! - jedijawa, 2007-04-20: 17:09:00
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Mercifiction
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /ˌmɚsəˈfɪkʃən/
Sentence: Most of the new security policy instituted by the TSA are at best mercifiction and at worst malignacity.
Etymology: From mercy + fiction (reminiscent of merciful)
Benefib
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: ben/uh/fib
Sentence: To keep their spirits up and help them through the day to complete their tasks, the boss would often encourage his staff with a benefib or two.
Etymology: benefit + fib
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COMMENTS:
Dude, you come up with the best words without making them long and cumbersome. - jedijawa, 2007-04-16: 12:55:00
And people love voting for the obvious ones! ;) - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-16: 15:13:00
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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
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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Troose
Created by: reverb
Pronunciation: troos
Sentence: Some people thought CEO was stealing money from the shareholders, but troose was that he was just borrowing it.
Etymology: loose truth
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COMMENTS:
seems to fit - reverb, 2008-07-12: 15:40:00
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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!