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.
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
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.
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
great sentence Tigger - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-29: 12:21:00
Great word! - Mustang, 2008-04-29: 23:23:00
----------------------------
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)
Weakoncentration
Created by: chingbangwa
Pronunciation: wee-kon-sen-tray-shon
Sentence: Mike's weakoncentration is getting out of control. He has no legs and he has joined a running team
Etymology: Weak = lacking strenght + concentration = focus
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
So he's legless? Interesting word,chingbangwa - Nosila, 2008-04-29: 23:13:00
----------------------------
Vulnerabillisme
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: vul ner abil is me
Sentence: Chuck sat at his desk telling Denise, the new receptionist, how his reports were brief and he was not strong in public speaking or doing up a presentation. She thought it very strange given he was the Marketing Director and he had to give presentations, public speeches and detailed reports all the time. His vulnerabillisme was cute until she figured out how much they were paying him to do so little, when she could do the job and be a success!
Etymology: Vulnerability (susceptibility to injury or attack; the state of being vulnerable or exposed) & Is Me (it's all about you...)
Misconfidosis
Created by: arrrteest
Pronunciation: miss-conf-ih-doh-sis
Sentence: Jeff's misconfidosis could easily be explained by what he had seen around him. Whenever his bosses ever messed up, they ended up getting promoted.
Etymology: mis,prefix meaning "bad, wrong" + confident, sure of one's self + osis, suffix expressing state or condition, in medical terminology denoting "a state of disease"
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
The old addage here is F-up, move up! - arrrteest, 2008-04-29: 01:05:00
----------------------------
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)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
good one - Jabberwocky, 2009-06-11: 15:48:00
----------------------------
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)
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Lee Derr...like it! - Nosila, 2010-07-03: 22:43:00
----------------------------
Wimperfector
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: wim per fek tor
Sentence: Wayne was such a wimperfector that when he was absent, his productivity at work went up. His boss wrote on his annual review:"I can assure you that no person would be better for this job. We are very fortunate to get this person to work for us."
Etymology: Wimp (a weak person) & Imperfect(not perfect; defective or inadequate) & Perfector (a person who completes or makes something perfect)
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