Vote for the best verboticism.

'Now be a good boy, and pick up your socks'

DEFINITION: v. To use animal training techniques to improve and direct the behavior of other people. n. A technique which uses the principles of animal training to solve a human behavioral riddle.

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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.

Spousebreak

Created by: skeeterzirra

Pronunciation: rhymes with housebreak

Sentence: If all men are dogs, where's a man-whisperer to teach women how to spousebreak them?

Etymology: Housebreak

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Pavlovegantheory

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: pav/low/veegan/theory

Sentence: The pavlovegantheory explores conditioning the reflexes of patrons to eat only vegetables when the subjects hear a bell ringing. An example would be the huge success of Potaco Bell.

Etymology: Pavolovian theory (dog's salivating when they hear a bell ringing) + vegan

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Pavlover

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: pav lov er

Sentence: In order to break her husband Ivan of his sock-dropping habits, Anna rewarded him with love in order to get him to respond. She was a pavlover and if he still didn't learn to pick up his socks, she had to become a pavtufflover. But enough about their socks life...

Etymology: Pavlov (Russian physiologist who observed conditioned salivary responses in dogs (1849-1936)) & Lover (a person who loves or is loved)

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Petagogy

Created by: rebelvin

Pronunciation: PET+pedAGOGY

Sentence: I know she is training me like a pet, but I just fall for her petagogy every time.

Etymology: PET+pedAGOGY

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COMMENTS:

petaj love it - petaj, 2008-05-19: 05:43:00

That's it! - pieceof314, 2008-05-19: 08:26:00

excellent - galwaywegian, 2008-05-19: 14:01:00

Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 01:19:00

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Homesticate

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: hoh/mes/ti/kate

Sentence: In most relationships, the woman has to homesticate the male so he can function in modern society.

Etymology: homo sapiens (the modern species of humans) + domesticate (to tame an animal to live with humans); therefore, homesticate (to tame a human to live with humans)

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COMMENTS:

...but we can still 'devolve' during football games, can't we? Excellent word! - Tigger, 2008-05-19: 02:51:00

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Obediencesocool

Created by: splendiction

Pronunciation: rhymes with "obedience school"

Sentence: They had tried everything, it seemed, to eliminate their son’s thumbsucking: behaviour modification, ignoring, even praise. Nothing worked until obediencesocool! The idea of simply complying with their requests actually became the new cool thing to do! They hoped this new trend would last and spawn similar trends.

Etymology: A play on a dog "obedience school".

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COMMENTS:

Cool word...what you have to do with teens these days... - Nosila, 2009-06-30: 01:22:00

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Treaser

Created by: josje

Pronunciation: treaser

Sentence: i am a perfect treaser

Etymology: trainer en teaser

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Pavlovegantheory

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: pav/low/veegan/theory

Sentence: The pavlovegantheory explores conditioning the reflexes of patrons to eat only vegetables when the subjects hear a bell ringing. An example would be the huge success of Potaco Bell.

Etymology: Pavolovian theory (dog's salivating when they hear a bell ringing) + vegan

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COMMENTS:

couldn't see your verbotomy on my first list; thought I was the first with a Pavlov reference. Nice application. - stache, 2008-05-19: 08:34:00

couldn't see your verbotomy on my first list; thought I was the first with a Pavlov reference. Nice application. - stache, 2008-05-19: 13:11:00

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Schoolafool

Created by: shija

Pronunciation: school-laf-fool

Sentence: Have you tried schoolafooling?

Etymology: A blend of schooling and fooling.

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Folkwhisperer

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: foke whis per er

Sentence: Abby decided to use her skills as a Horse Whisperer on her human family to see if the methods brought the same great results they had with her equine clients. With a large carrot, she approached her son Marvin cautiously, when he was again tying up her phone for hours. She bent close to his open ear, stroked his adolescent face gently and whispered the calming words which had the desired affect:"Get off that darn phone now or I will jam this carrot into your other ear!" At once he hung up and ran for his room. Yes, using Folkwhisperer methods worked every time... it wasn't tough love, but pavlove!

Etymology: folk (people in general)& the horse whisperer (a person who tames and trains horses by gentle methods and speech)

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COMMENTS:

'Pavloved' your story! Too funny! My conditioned response was to LOL... - Tigger, 2008-05-19: 02:49:00

you might not believe it but I didn't read youir sentence before I posted. - stache, 2008-05-19: 13:13:00

I believe you, stache...not the first time great minds have thought alike... - Nosila, 2008-05-19: 16:54:00

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-19: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's new book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Now Amy has invented her own word for this and it's "Shamu", so I have added it today's list of verboticisms! Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-06-29: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage", where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Of course, Amy has invented her own word for this -- "Shamu". Let's see what we come up with now... Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-07-19: 00:41:00
Today's definition was suggested by amysutherland. Thank you amysutherland. ~ James