Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To focus on your weaknesses, rather than your strengths. n. A person who is obsessed with their perceived deficiencies, and works hard to ensure that everyone else understands and appreciates their failings.
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.
Flunkard
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /flung-kerd/ (pronounced like 'drunkard')
Sentence: Larry would often set low standards for himself and then consistently fail to meet those standards. As a habitual flunkard, Larry found that there were very few tasks entrusted to him at the office. Management, having noticed this, were quick to assume that he was quite skilled at delegating assignments, and offered him a promotion.
Etymology: Flunk - failure to meet minimum performance standards (English slang, from alteration of British university slang, funk "to be frightened, shrink from") + Drunkard - a chronic, habitual drinker (from Old English, druncen, pp. of "to drink"); Flunkard = a chronic, habitual failure.
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COMMENTS:
great sentence Tigger - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-29: 12:21:00
Great word! - Mustang, 2008-04-29: 23:23:00
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Incompambition
Created by: pieceof314
Pronunciation: in comp am bih shun
Sentence: Jake was no stranger to incompambition. He learned quickly in his youthful slacker days that hard work and brains only stiffled one's rise to the top. If you become too important for your position, there is no incentive to promote you. Jake never put his best foot forward and thus he carefully fumbled his way to the top.
Etymology: incompetent + ambition
Negacissist
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: neg/ah/siz/sist
Sentence: John is the ultimate negacissist, always bragging and raving on about his weaknesses, short comings and inabilities.
Etymology: negative + narcissist
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COMMENTS:
Excellent! - Mustang, 2009-06-09: 18:14:00
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Pedantichick
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ped an tik hik
Sentence: Billy Bob was not making his transition from country bumpkin to slick city dweller very easy. He only opened his mouth to change feet and was known as a pedantichick, because he seemed determined to show off how naive and unsophisticated he was while going to college in a big city. He typified the stereotype of a big dumb farm boy. Case in point was when he was given a new protractor as part of his course equipment. He reckoned he wouldn't need a protractor, since he didn't have to plow the fields no more!
Etymology: Pedantic (marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects) & Hick ( not very intelligent or interested in culture; awkwardly simple and provincial)
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COMMENTS:
good one - Jabberwocky, 2009-06-11: 15:48:00
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Flawedcaster
Created by: hyperborean
Pronunciation: flawd-cahst-ur
Sentence: John was a prolific flawedcaster, but only Mary enjoyed receiving his weekly flawedcast -- everyone else deleted it right away. Reading about his problems made her feel strong.
Etymology: flawed (defective) + broadcast (to make widely known)
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COMMENTS:
Favorite so far. Truly fits! Esp. the verb - DrWebsterIII, 2009-06-09: 14:38:00
like it!! - mweinmann, 2009-06-09: 17:27:00
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Privatedefective
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: pry vat dee tek tiv
Sentence: Yeah, she could not shoot, she did not take great photos and she had great trouble solving cases, but Sue Dopol Eese was a privatedefective. She fell asleep at stakeouts, she lost tails by being distracted with signs of upcoming sales and straying husbands and dishonest employees everywhere knew she was rubbish at her job. She could not find a lost sole in a shoe factory. She was therefore delighted when she was accepted for CIA Basic Training Camp...and she knew she would graduate top of her class.
Etymology: private(concerning one person exclusively or concerning things deeply private and personal) & (defective(markedly subnormal in structure or function or intelligence or behavior) & for rhyming: private detective (you know like Mannix, Magnum PI,etc).
Surefail
Created by: rebelvin
Pronunciation: sure+fail
Sentence: He always surefails at the start, even before giving himself a chance to succeed at a project.
Etymology: sure+fail
Antegoist
Created by: stache
Pronunciation: ant'ē'gō-ĭst
Sentence: Marlene was an accomplished dancer and visual artist, and her mechanical skills were amazing. She could dance her way through a brake job or a tuneup, and her pin-striping designs were renowned. But she was such an antegoist that when Herschel asked her to help him at the hot-rod show she declined because, she said, "I'm just not a 'people person.'"
Etymology: ant, any of numerous black, red, brown, or yellow social insects of the family Formicidae [Middle English amte, from Old English ǣmete]; eg, var. of egg, as in to have egg on one's face, or to lay an egg; oist, practitioner of zero.
Nokwando
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: nōkwändō
Sentence: Nelson is not only a practitioner but is the grand master of a new martial art, nokwando. Rather than teach new skills, this art concentrates on what a student cannot do. His dojo is not finished yet and may not be unless someone else take on the project. Nelson even practices his art at work. When his boss suggests some action that he should be undertaking, he can almost always defer or deflect this effort with phrases like "I'll have take that under study" or "My predecessor never showed me how to do that".
Etymology: no (not any) + taekwando (a modern Korean martial art similar to karate)
Faultastic
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: fôltastik
Sentence: Alex is a faultastic boss. In an effort to appear humble he constantly pointing his own foibles. Whenever he is called on to present his accomplishments he sings his own praises in faultsetto.
Etymology: fault (an unattractive or unsatisfactory feature) + fantastic (extraordinarily good or attractive)
Comments:
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Secret # 2: "Think strengths, not weaknesses". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Secret # 2: "Think strengths, not weaknesses". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by johnnybunko. Thank you johnnybunko. ~ James