Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A person who, using an example from their own life, steers people away from a line of speculation by reducing it to an absurdity. v. To dismantle a logical argument with piles of passionate incoherence.
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.
Prepostulate
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: pre-PAWST-yew-layt
Sentence: In giving reasons to others in defense of his sometimes goofy notions, Elmer would regularly prepostulate, rambling on with odd and sometimes even bizarre rationale.
Etymology: Blend of the words 'preposterous' (adj. contrary to nature, reason, or common sense) and 'postulate' (to claim or assume the existence or truth of, especially as a basis for reasoning or arguing)
Idiotom
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: ID-ee-uht-uhm
Sentence: Alex unwittingly became an idiotom as he trailed off on a tangent of how he was submerged in spaghetti at camp back in the day.
Etymology: idio- (individual) + idiot (a boor) + idiom (peculiar speech)
Ergocentrist
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: er go SEN trist
Sentence: He is such an ergocentrist. Basically, his attitude is, "This is how I did it thirty years ago and it worked for me; therefore, this is how it should continue to work." He says he never gets vaccinations because when he was 17, he got one, and the next day, he broke his ankle. Therefore, he would never get a vaccination again because he is sure it makes people's bones turn brittle. Since then, he has never broken a bone, which just "proves" his theory. But he does get the flu almost every year. (Which he blames on computer viruses, because he never got the flu until he was 18, and hey, that was RIGHT AROUND the time that computers really hit the popular market, so therefore,....)
Etymology: ergo (therefore) + egocentric
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COMMENTS:
ergological word - Nosila, 2009-11-05: 00:24:00
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Disfable
Created by: patb
Pronunciation: dis-fay-bull
Sentence: Roger used disfables about his childhood to discourage his children. It worked
Etymology: dis + fable + disable
Negatiate
Created by: suzanne
Pronunciation: negg-ate-ee-ate
Sentence: Mary wanted to study German but her father negatieted by saying how he had lived his whole life speaking only English and he had never been arrested.
Etymology: neg- from nagative atiate - derivative from negotiate.
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COMMENTS:
probably should be negatiator, but the sentence alone is worth a vote - galwaywegian, 2007-04-18: 05:22:00
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Theartfuldredger
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: the/artful/dred/jur
Sentence: Theartfuldredger is the most unpopular guest at a party.
Etymology: the artful dodger + dredge (as in up from the past)
Redialongate
Created by: mana1066
Pronunciation: re-dile-on-get
Sentence: every time i mention rings, or chappels, my boyfriend becomes a redialongate and tells me about how silver and gold are really a conspiracy
Etymology: redirect + language + elongate
Wrang-wrang
Created by: vonnegut
Pronunciation: rang-rang
Sentence: There was a sign around my dead cat's neck. It said, "Meow." I have not seen Krebbs since. Nonetheless, I sense that he was my karass. If he was, he served it as a wrang-wrang.
Etymology: Created by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., for Cat's Cradle, published in 1963.
Anecdotophile
Created by: zrotv
Pronunciation: ăn'ĭk -dŏt'ə-fīl
Sentence: I try to have logical conversations with people who don't read, but they are always such anecdotophiles. They never have any sources for information, just nebulous myths and stories.
Etymology: anecdote and phile (New Latin -philus, from Greek -philos, beloved, dear, from philos, beloved, loving.)
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by vonnegut. Thank you vonnegut. ~ James