Vote for the best verboticism.

'I'm surprised that no one else has picked up the ball.'

DEFINITION: v. To listen intently and sympathize with your colleagues when they request assistance, and then to simply, and completely, forget about it. n. The ability to sympathize with, yet ignore, requests for help.

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Verboticisms

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Usefail

Created by: mweinmann

Pronunciation: yous - fayl

Sentence: Lorne proved to be usefail most of the time. Louise thought he cared, thought he understood her problem and then thought he wanted to help but for some reason, he never was able to.

Etymology: useful, fail

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Disenharken

Created by: catgrin

Pronunciation: dis-en-hahr-kuhn

Sentence: John's disenharkening behavior left Carol feeling as though her confidant was useless.

Etymology: Take off on "dis" + "enhearten" meaning "to give heart" and "dis harken" meaning "forgetting to hear"

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Pathetinance

Created by: rickki

Pronunciation: path-et-in-ans

Sentence: Tony showed pathetinance towards Sonia, as she asked for help yesterday.

Etymology:

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Ironian

Created by: newszi

Pronunciation:

Sentence: Sally asked Cindy, about Joe might be able to help them. Sally answered: -Don't bother, he's an Ironian When you ask for help you need the most, all you get is Ironians'. Joe's answers are an Ironian's, he newer keeps himself to them.

Etymology: irony + answer or irony +an

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Sympalies

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: sim-pa-lize

Sentence: Ied can always be counted on to sympalies with you when you're having trouble. He says he'll be happy to help you, but whenever you need him, he's nowhere to be found. Later he has one excuse after another for why he couldn't help.

Etymology: sympathize: to feel compassion for another's trouble + lies: a false statement told to pass for truth

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COMMENTS:

nice - galwaywegian, 2009-09-18: 07:49:00

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Flusterduck

Created by: Alchemist

Pronunciation: FLUS-tuhr-duk

Sentence: Once more frustrated in her effort to get him to change the office mousetrap, Brenda stormed angrily from Dick's office. "That woethario has flusterducked me for the last time. Time to go over his head. I'm calling DADDY!"

Etymology: From the Flemish "Flustre Du" meaning to pee on the outhouse door in winter, causing it to freeze shut.

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COMMENTS:

Big tip of the pen to purpleartichokes! - Alchemist, 2007-02-27: 08:32:00

What kind of culture needs a word for "freezing the outhouse door shut by peeing on it"? Interesting word... - Discoveria, 2007-02-27: 08:58:00

I thought Flustre Du was to pee on an electric fence. Thanks for clearing that up! - purpleartichokes, 2007-02-27: 09:57:00

the Flemish have a peculiar sense of humor. you see, the act was performed to trap unsuspecting victims, or "flustrekels" INSIDE the outhouse. - Alchemist, 2007-02-27: 11:04:00

No doubt to try to turn them into flustcicles. Those naughty Flemish! - purpleartichokes, 2007-02-27: 12:13:00

I guess I'd be flustered-too if I was trapped in an outhouse by some bladder-emptying trickster. - Discoveria, 2007-02-27: 15:44:00

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Empathetic

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: em/pa/theh/tik

Sentence: Our IT team is very empathetic. They listen attentively to our problems and then promptly forget about them.

Etymology: empathy + pathetic

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Flipservice

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: flip/sur/vus

Sentence: His flipservice was so convincing, he never did any actual work

Etymology: flip (about face) + lip service (hypocracy)

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COMMENTS:

Can also be tied to flippant, which is quite appropriate. - purpleartichokes, 2007-02-27: 10:01:00

Excellent point purple - Jabberwocky, 2007-02-27: 13:30:00

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Helpmenot

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: HELP-ME-not

Sentence: Bobby's helpmenot traits vexed his dwindling circle of friends.

Etymology: help me (assist me) + not

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Empathesia

Created by: bettyann9

Pronunciation: em-path-eezha

Sentence: She was so skilled at the art of empathesia that her friends never suspected she was transforming herself into a lawnmower even as she listened intently to their inane stories.

Etymology: Empathy+amnesia

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-02-27: 00:01:41
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus.
Thank you erasmus! ~ James

erasmus erasmus - 2007-02-27: 11:23:00
Thanks James! shame I cant think of a word this time though, boo!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-09-19: 09:07:00
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus. Thank you erasmus. ~ James