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'Honey, you just ran a red light!'

DEFINITION: v. To unintentionally encourage bad behavior by responding to it in a manner that incites even worse behavior. n. A response designed to stop bad behavior, which paradoxically produces more of it.

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Verboticisms

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Reverbirate

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: re-VERB-eye-rayt

Sentence: It seemed that whenever Cindy would try to motivate her husband, Charlie, to behave more civilly, her words would only reverbirate in some dark corner of his psyche and have the opposite effect with him responding in even more outrageous manner.

Etymology: blend of 'reverberate' (echo) and 'irate' (angry)

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Dissuascalation

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: dis-sway-sca-lay-shun

Sentence: Bobby, just ignore your brother. You know that when you tell him not to swear he just tells you to f&*$ #$%&&% )!!@^&$$. I know you mean well, but it's just a dissuascalation.

Etymology: dissuasion (discouragement) + escalation (increase, especially in the case of military escalation where every action is responded to with greater force)

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Habetual

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: ha bet ual

Sentence: Joanie nagged at Chachi when he drove, which drove him insane. She failed to under stand that her habetual commentary on his poor driving habits made him a worse driver. It would have probably worked better if she had actually had a driving license of her own before passing such critiques on his driving skills...

Etymology: Habitual (commonly used or practiced; usual) & Abet (assist or encourage, usually in wrongdoing)

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Exacerbloop

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: Eks-asz-SUR-bloop

Sentence: When Bob tried to smooth things over with a few words of "wisdom", he quickly found out that many an embarassing moment wouldn't be so embarassing if it only lasted a moment. The daftermath of his exacerblooper and exacerblooping, lead to a hellishing harangue from Roxie that lasted an hour.

Etymology: Blend of EXACERBate & BLOOP/er: an embarassing, silly, verbal error, usually during a serious moment.

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COMMENTS:

great sentence - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-20: 15:32:00

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Scaradigm

Created by: mweinmann

Pronunciation: skair - a - dime

Sentence: There was a scaradigm shift in Tony's behavior after Lisa tried to soothe him during the drive through the Catskills. The road was narrow and slippery and an antelope strolled out and started to play around in the headlights.

Etymology: scare (A general state of alarm), paradigm (A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality)

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Crazydriver

Created by: Andrew98

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Motivile

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: mo-ti-vile

Sentence: On their last date, Lea learned why "motivile" rhymes with "juvenile." When she mentioned his bad driving habits he acted like he was fifteen years old, shouting out loud and being contrary by driving like a maniac.

Etymology: motivate:to provide an incentive for behavior + vile: loathsome, disgusting, contemptible

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Pissoftomy

Created by: stefaniaus

Pronunciation: Pis soft omy

Sentence: It was clearly a case of pissoftomy with no means of redemption

Etymology:

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Negatentional

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: neg-a-ten-shen-al

Sentence: As a teacher, Mary knew that negatentional responses were equal to posintentional ones to the kids who acted up to get her attention, although the results were disastrous for her classroom management. She soon realized that by nagging Kevin the same result would happen, Kevin would do the opposite of what she wanted to get a response from her. She decided to ignore the inappropriate behavior and reward him for proper behavior, just as she would her kindergarten children, in order for him to get posattention from her.

Etymology: negative: unfavorable or disconfirming + intentional: done deliberately + attention: notice or recognition. Teachers and trainers understand that to some children or animals negative attention is just as good as positive attention because it gives them the reward of recognition and response.

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COMMENTS:

Do I not lie it? Negatory! Good word. - Nosila, 2009-06-30: 17:31:00

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Misscipline

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: miss/i/plin

Sentence: Missipline is the result of misplaced discipline.

Etymology: discipline + miss

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-20: 00:00:01
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's observation that if we are going to use "progressive animal training techniques" on humans, that we simply need to reward behavior we want and ignore behavior we don't. Of course this is easier said than done, and requires a great deal of self-awareness and self-discipline. In fact, Amy calls it the "Zen of Animal Training". See: "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-06-30: 00:00:01
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's observation that if we are going to use "progressive animal training techniques" on humans, that we simply need to reward behavior we want and ignore behavior we don't. Of course this is easier said than done, and requires a great deal of self-awareness and self-discipline. In fact, Amy calls it the "Zen of Animal Training". See: "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". Thanks Amy! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-07-20: 00:00:00
Today's definition was suggested by amysutherland. Thank you amysutherland. ~ James

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