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.
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.
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).
Defectitude
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: de-fect-ta-tude
Sentence: Sally's defectitude about her skills ensured that she would remain at the bottom of the typing pool for her entire career because she convinced everyone else that she lacked the ability to perform competently.
Etymology: defect: imperfection, deficiency, shortcoming + attitude: belief, outlook, approach
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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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)
Flawplan
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: FLAW-plan
Sentence: Bob spelt out his career plan with acronymical alacrity. It read: "F" for frustrating and thoughtlessness; "L" for lethargic and litigious; "A" for aimless and antediluvian; "W" for workshy and weaseling; "P" for plastic and procrastinating; "L" for lackadaisical and laconic; "A" for asinine and anal-retentive and "N" for neglectful and nepotistic. He was elected - maybe - for his honesty; or, more likely, by the "donkey" vote!
Etymology: FLAW: fault(s), defects, imperfection(s) & PLAN: to have a specific aim or purpose; a scheme or method of doing something put together in advance.
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COMMENTS:
very clever
- petaj, 2008-04-29: 04:58:00
Hmmmmm, is that a thinly veiled political swipe! - pieceof314, 2008-04-29: 09:44:00
love the sentence - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-29: 12:22:00
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Pessimeister
Created by: DrWebsterIII
Pronunciation: Pes - a - misetr
Sentence: Peter was such a pessimeister. He was always pontificating on the possible negative outcome and preached about his problems and flaws.
Etymology: Pessimist (one who focuses on the negative) + Meister (master)
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COMMENTS:
hahaha funny...like it. - mweinmann, 2009-06-09: 17:28:00
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Perserfailing
Created by: steveo772
Pronunciation: per-sur-fail-ing
Sentence: Frank was persistently perserfailing in order to get laid off.
Etymology: Perservere + Fail.
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COMMENTS:
like it - Jabberwocky, 2009-06-10: 11:46:00
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Manglomaniac
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: MAN gah lo MAIN ee ak
Sentence: Dexter Knott made sure that everyone knew how difficult most tasks were for him and how slowly he worked, so that they wouldn't ask much of him. He was a notable manglomaniac, pointing out how he would probably mangle whatever responsibility was laid at his doorstep, and then suggesting that someone else would do a better job. He made such comments as, "Why don't you give the project to Lee Derr? He thrives on 'management opportunities.'" As a result, he mostly got to slack off while his more capable and ambitious colleagues basically got used. In the end, since they were all on a set pay scale, they all got paid the same.
Etymology: mangle + megalomaniac
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COMMENTS:
Lee Derr...like it! - Nosila, 2010-07-03: 22:43:00
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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