Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., A gallant gesture which does not produce the desired effect because of poor execution. v., To offer a small gesture of assistance, which backfires as you trip over your own kind intentions.
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.
Fewtility
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: fyoo til lit tee
Sentence: Fewbert's heroic gestures towards his fewture wife, Fewgenia, were often attempts in fewtility. Like when he placed his coat over a puddle in the street for her, only to discover that it actually covered an open manhole. Or when he chased her cat FewFew through hill & dale, caught it, was scratched to death and brought it home to her, only to find the real FewFew happily sitting in front of the hearth at home. Poor Fewbert, his fewtile efforts made Fewgenia think that a fewture with Fewbert might be fewtile, at least until after he passed fewberty.
Etymology: Few (an indefinite but relatively small number) & Futility (uselessness as a consequence of having no practical result)
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COMMENTS:
Beware the fewmious bandersnatch.... - Mustang, 2008-09-25: 00:02:00
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Oopsamaritan
Created by: hooterbug
Pronunciation: oops/sə mer′ə tən
Sentence: I had a hard time looking concerned when the spinning door trapped the head of the Oopsamaritan that had so gallantly held the door for me.
Etymology: Oops! + Samaritan (A compassionate person who unselfishly helps others)
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COMMENTS:
funny - Jabberwocky, 2008-09-24: 13:18:00
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Graciouch
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: grāshəouch
Sentence: Tim likes to play the role of a knight in shining armor. Instead, his klutziness often leaves him as a knight with a shiner.
Etymology: gracious (courteous, kind, and pleasant) + ouch (exclamation used to express pain)
Backsquire
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: BAK-skwyre
Sentence: Alex, ever the backsquire, spread out his coat for his date to cross a puddle, only to put her in the way of the spray of a speeding car.
Etymology: backfire + squire (a gentleman)
Doomerang
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: doōmərang
Sentence: Wendel tried once again to do the gracious thing. As he attempted to help an older woman carry a heavy bag of groceries to her car only to trip and scatter the contents across the pavement. He would have stayed and helped her clean up the mess but she seemed much more intent on beating him with her cane than retrieving her broken eggs. Once again he found himself to be an expert at creating doomerangs, those deeds that always find a way to come back and boot you in the seat.
Etymology: doom (death, destruction, or some other terrible fate) + boomerang (a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower)
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COMMENTS:
great sentence - bookowl, 2008-09-24: 13:44:00
Nice word - OZZIEBOB, 2008-09-25: 18:21:00
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Ineptsuavitis
Created by: mryder
Pronunciation: in-ept / swah-ve / itis
Sentence: Billy would have loved to open the door for the pretty girl; however his ineptsuavitis set in and he ended up getting himself trapped in the door.
Etymology: inept-ORIGIN originally in the sense unsuitable: from Latin ineptus, from in- ‘not’ + aptus ‘fitted. Suave-ORIGIN Latin suavis ‘agreeable’ itis (suffix)— ORIGIN from Greek -ites
Clobbergest
Created by: Lidipop
Pronunciation: Klob-er-jess-t
Sentence: when i realized the good intention had gone badly, her "clobbergest" was just the begining of a series of unintentional punishments!!! :)
Etymology: Clobbering(to defeat overwhelmingly)+ gest/gesture(something said or done by way of formality or courtesy)= clobbergest
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COMMENTS:
I was thinking also that a guest was being clobbered. - petaj, 2007-10-27: 02:02:00
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Banevolence
Created by: MrDave2176
Pronunciation: bain-ehv-oh-lence
Sentence: Thomas' banevolence was beginning to cost him. The proliferation of cuts, bruises and trips to the chiropractor was making him think that chivalry was going to get him dead.
Etymology: bane + (ben)evolence
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COMMENTS:
Terrific word! - libertybelle, 2007-10-26: 11:10:00
good word MrDave - Jabberwocky, 2007-10-26: 12:19:00
Good word and antonym of benevolence! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-10-28: 02:25:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn! ~ James
After you. No after you. No after you. No after yooooooeeeeouwwww!
Kevcom - 2007-10-26: 07:38:00
Awesome cartoon James! That is so funny - I was almost dyin' of laughter of the expression on the guys face...
Thanks to Kevcom and Petaj for your hurteous thoughts and magnanimistakian clobbergestures ~ James
Lidipop - 2007-10-26: 10:19:00
I actually printed this one out...it's so good, well done!!!
We must not forget to thank ErWenn again for his generous courteslip. ~ James
purpleartichokes - 2007-10-26: 18:57:00
Yes, thank you ErWenn and James. Fabulous contributions from you two!
yellowbird - 2008-09-24: 11:49:00
Haven't we seen this definition before?
petaj - 2008-09-26: 04:19:00
Yep - looking forward to some new ones
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn. ~ James