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.
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)
Faulterego
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: fal - tur - ee - go
Sentence: Stephanie has a strong faulterego. Those who know her well realize that she is an intelligent, capable woman. She is so good at downplaying her strengths in favor of her weaknesses that at times, she seems like another person.
Etymology: fault, falter, alter ego (An alter ego (Latin, "the other I") is a second self, a second personality or persona within a person. It was coined in the early nineteenth century when schizophrenia was first described by early psychologists. A person with an alter ego is said to lead a double life)
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COMMENTS:
good one - Nosila, 2009-06-09: 11:08:00
Got my vote - DrWebsterIII, 2009-06-09: 13:33:00
Very good! - Mustang, 2009-06-09: 18:15:00
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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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Satdysfunctional
Created by: Rutilus
Pronunciation: sat-dis-funk-shun-al
Sentence: Greg was tardy, lazy and incompetent. He was quite proud of his lack of drive and uselessness and his satdysfunctional outlook was worn like a badge of honour.
Etymology: Satisfaction - fulillment Dysfunctional - abnormal (behaviour)
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COMMENTS:
nice blend - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-29: 12:23:00
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Degretation
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: degh-reh-TAY-shun
Sentence: Carletons sense of self worth was flimsy at best, bordering on nonexistent, and he would frequently abase himself in his self styled degretation, using verbal self abuse and humiliation.
Etymology: Blend of degrade and reputation
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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Downanshout
Created by: TJayzz
Pronunciation: Dow-nan-showt
Sentence: Mark knew he was a failure from the start, when he was expelled from nursery school at the tender age of three! But could not resist telling all who would listen about them. His reasoning for being a downanshout was that he would rather shout his failings from the rooftops before people around him discovered them for themselves.
Etymology: Down(depressed about ones own failures) an(short for and) Shout(to air ones opinions in a loud manner), down and out (one of lifes complete failures) =Downanshout.
Derogavocation
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: dare/og/ah/voe/cay/shun
Sentence: He made it his life's derogavocation to belittle himself as much as possible and present himself in the least attractive way.
Etymology: derogation + vocation
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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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"
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COMMENTS:
The old addage here is F-up, move up! - arrrteest, 2008-04-29: 01:05:00
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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