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.
Foolluminati
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: f-loo-muh-Nah-tee
Sentence: "Emily, this is Dad. I only have a minute, so listen closely. Do you have a pencil and paper at hand?'' "No, Dad, but I'm at my computer, so go ahead." "Quickly. Turn it off now and keep it off for at least a week, so the system doesn't overheat. Don't you remember what I told you about machines:treat them with care and they'll never wear out; that computer will still be working when you're a grandmother." Although others may have been deeply shocked by this kind of advice, Emily replied "Yes, I understand; no problem...Dad." By the time Emily had put the phone down, she had already made up her mind to leave it off-the-hook for the next week, although she knew that he would try to contact her by telegram. Thankfully, after all, he was busy at the "Quill and Abacus Restoration Society's" annual meeting, and would after be attending the "Gaslighter's Guild" for a few days. At least, she consoled herself, she would be free for a little while from the inanities of this fatherly foolluminati. (last try: Sillustrator)
Etymology: FOOL: a silly or stupid person; a person who lacks judgment or sense. IILLUMINATI: People, or person, claiming to be unusually enlightened with regard to a subject
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COMMENTS:
love the way this sounds - Jabberwocky, 2008-06-25: 12:24:00
LOVE that word AND the "sentence" is hilarious! :) - lumina, 2008-06-25: 12:58:00
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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.
Tangentvangelist
Created by: porsche
Pronunciation: tan/jent/van/jel/ist
Sentence: My sixth grade teacher was a tangentvangelist who answered every question with a reference to the black plague
Etymology: tangent + evangelist
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COMMENTS:
Probably the best use of "evangelist" outside occult circles (or should that be pentagrams?). - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-18: 12:14:00
Good word. Also made me think of that SNL sketch, "In a vannn down by the rivvver". That guy was a tangentvangelist if anyone ever was. - playdohheart, 2007-04-18: 15:09:00
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Anecdontalist
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: an-eck-dohn-tul-ist
Sentence: for every hair brained sceme i came up with, grandpa had a story that would convince me to forget about it...he was a master anecdontalist
Etymology: anecdote, don't
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COMMENTS:
Clever anecdote! I hope you had a doting grandma, to counter-balance your donting grandpa. - wordmeister, 2007-04-18: 02:54:00
could be a long anecdonta list - galwaywegian, 2007-04-18: 05:10:00
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Colorpoohpoohle
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: kol or poo pool
Sentence: When Lavender asked her Daddy to buy her a computer, he was mauved to colorpoohpoohle her request. He entered a Purple Haze and told her a plum crazy story of how he had to lilac a sidewalk when he was young, just to get his Daddy to give him a magenta crayon to finish his homework. His Daddy thought just heliotropes used that color and it spurred him to almost violet behaviour towards his son. Luckily his mother had grape expectations of her only son and his father's amethyst-icuffs did not scare her or his son. Poor Lavender, she had long ago drifted into a deep purple haze when listening to this periwinkle of a tale, because she was mauved to boredom.
Etymology: Color (an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading)& Pooh-Pooh (express contempt about;reject with contempt) & Play on Color Purple (Alice Walker Book and 1985 Steven Spielberg film)
Rationalbatross
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ra shun al bit ross
Sentence: When Penelope asked her father, Gordie, for a computer (or anything that cost money), he had his usual rationalbatross excuse ready. On this occasion it was about the fact that when he was young, computers were a science fiction story, not reality. So he had to develop his super brainpower to get through all eight of his years of school. Of course, he then went into his old "I walked through five feet of snow for eight miles without boots or a winter coat, carrying a raw potato for my lunch at school, after I had milked the cows, fed the pigs and chickens and brought in a bucket of snow to melt for water" schtick.
Etymology: Rational (logical) & Albatross (figurative) something that hinders or handicaps)
Reminosence
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: re/mi/no/sens
Sentence: Whenever she tried to have a meaningful chat with her boyfriend about where their relationship was headed he would veer off topic with crazy reminosenses.
Etymology: reminiscence + no sense
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COMMENTS:
Very good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-25: 09:37:00
Why is it that the road to ruin is the future part of the stroll down memory lane? - Nosila, 2008-06-25: 21:55:00
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Prehistorer
Created by: greenheatherbutterfly
Pronunciation: just say it as you see it.
Sentence: He had such prehistoric values in life, he was such a prehistorer!!!
Etymology:
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)
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