Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A harmless untruth, intended to comfort simple souls. v. To use a little bit a fiction to smooth over the perplexities and complexities of life.
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.
Luth
Created by: Guthlaf1
Pronunciation: LOOTH
Sentence: Yes, the government is always right, and that's the luth.
Etymology: A combination of 'truth' and 'lie', substituting "L" for "TR".
Soitghost
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: soe it goest
Sentence: His soitghosts will remain relevent wherever there is a need for humour in tragic situations.
Etymology: "so it goes" ghost
Frib
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: fribb
Sentence: As was his nature, Alexander once again passed along a frib when asked a hard question with a potentially embarrasing answer, a tiny untruth that was told to spare the feelings of his friend.
Etymology: Blend of the words 'fib' (small lie) and 'rib'...to poke fun or make light of.
Lieability
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: lye abil itee
Sentence: When it came time to complete his staff's evaluations, Kurt had to use his lieability skills to soften the blows. He'd say things like "Joe is a very reliable worker, when he is here." or "Mary Jane is flexible...she is equally ill at ease with large groups or a single person." or "Fred's long, liquid lunches make the afternoons go quickly and he creates a party mood among his peers for the last hour each workday." or "Roxanne can light up a room, just by leaving it."
Etymology: Lie (a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth) & Ability (skill;able to achieve something)and Wordplay on Liability (the quality of being something that holds you back)
Foma
Created by: vonnegut
Pronunciation: fo-ma
Sentence: Nothing in this book is true. "Live by the foma* that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy." The Books of Bokonon. I: 5
Etymology: Created by Kurt Vonnegut for Cat's Cradle, published in 1963.
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COMMENTS:
foma - accept no substitutes. - Alchemist, 2007-04-16: 06:51:00
we can't go through the whole week respelling Vonneguts words....or can we? - rikboyee, 2007-04-16: 09:24:00
It's the best way to win the prize.... :-) - jedijawa, 2007-04-16: 12:54:00
What's the singular? And should I have heard of Vonnegut? Has he been on TV? Recently? Bliss. - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-16: 15:11:00
The singular form is "fomum", like phenomena (plural) and phenomenum (signular). Comes from Latin. Did you study Latin in highschool? I did, and I'm still trying to get over it. - wordmeister, 2007-04-16: 15:22:00
It's all Greek to me! - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-16: 16:14:00
you can even go into the news/blog section and it will tell you which word this definition comes from.... i honestly feel that using Vonneguts word taints the wampeter of our humble karass - rikboyee, 2007-04-16: 17:44:00
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Dalyinglama
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: dall-i-ing-lama
Sentence: You might think His Holiness would never tell an untruth, but when it comes to sparing someone's feelings, he becomes the DalyingLama.
Etymology: Dalai Lama (Buddhist leader) + lying (not telling the truth)
Freewill
Created by: playdohheart
Pronunciation: Free will
Sentence: "You were sick and now you're well again," shouted Trout, a freewill message that started Trout's creed.
Etymology: For Vonnegut (circa Timequake)... had to do it... I'm writing my thesis on him.
Patricoddle
Created by: Sed8ed
Pronunciation: pa-tree-cod-el
Sentence: Joe found it easier to patricoddle the man who accosted him daily from the alley asking for two bits, rather than being rude and scaring him away.
Etymology: patri from patronize + coddle (to pamper, or whatever you like) = patricoddle
Glibfib
Created by: googly
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Don't make a big deal out of lying about his weight - its just a glibfib.
Etymology:
Comments:
ErWenn - 2007-04-16: 08:00:00
Best verbotoon ever. So it goes, buddy, so it goes.
ErWenn - 2007-04-16: 08:20:00
Just noticed what was written on the typewriter. Ha!
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
RE: "Best Verbotoon Ever" Thanks ErWenn! However I must say it was all inspired by KV himself. So it goes... ~ James
See the top 4 words of the day at Yeah, I'm in heaven now ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by Kurt Vonnegut and first appeared in his novel Cat's Cradle.
Thank you Mr. Vonnegut! ~ James
wurdless - 2008-07-12: 15:23:00
Vonnegut is cool!
reverb - 2008-07-12: 15:31:00
cat's cradle rocks
Today's definition was suggested by vonnegut. Thank you vonnegut. ~ James
Live it or live WITH it!