Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., Cautionary advice provided by parents to their children, often makes no logical sense but carries enough emotional weight to affect the child's behavior. v. To warn of danger through the judicious use of exaggeration.
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.
Mythconduct
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /mith-kon-dukt/
Sentence: Donna stared wistfully at her friends splashing in the pool, and glanced up at the clock again — it'd been only 53 minutes since she'd eaten that banana — seven more minutes before she could go back in the pool. Her mother had warned her many times that going into the water less than an hour after eating would inevitably cause cramps, which were somehow always fatal. 'Would she die from drowning or from the cramps themselves?' she wondered. What if she just dangled her legs in the water? No, it was just too risky. She couldn't overcome the mythconduct her mother had instilled into her. Six minutes and forty five seconds to go...
Etymology: Myth - any invented story, idea, or concept (from Greek, mythos "speech, story") + Conduct - personal behavior; way of acting (from Latin, conductus "to lead or bring together")
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COMMENTS:
I always doubted this prohibition. I even sent it in to "Mythbusters"....to no avail. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 06:00:00
Well, Mythbusters did prove that you shouldn't spin around in a makeshift wirlpool too soon after eating pizza. Funny episode. But I'm convinced that the 1-hour 'no swimming' rule is nonsense. But I knew kids whose mothers wouldn't even let them stand in the wading pool because of that rule. - Tigger, 2008-08-29: 10:12:00
Good word - TJayzz, 2008-08-29: 13:43:00
Welcome back, Tigger, we mythed you! - Nosila, 2008-08-29: 20:09:00
This one is my favorite, well done! - Rehlit, 2008-09-01: 00:50:00
Good word there Tigger, it has a nice ring to it! I like the way you think :) - abrakadeborah, 2009-03-14: 19:07:00
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Propagationganda
Created by: MrDave2176
Pronunciation: prop-uh-GEY-shuhn-gan-da
Sentence: Despite all of my mother's propagationganda my eyes never did "stick that way".
Etymology: Propagation:to breed + (propa)ganda : to disseminate information (or rumors)
Malaproscription
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /ˈmæləpro(ʊ)ˌskɹɪpʃən/
Sentence: Most new parents promise themselves that they'll always be open and honest with their children, but each time they are asked "Why not?", the probability of the birth of a new malaproscription increases.
Etymology: from malapropism + proscription
Paranting
Created by: hooterbug
Pronunciation: pâr'ran-ting
Sentence: Due to my childhood and unique blend of "Paranting" from my mom and pops, I will be appearing on the Jerry Springer show one day soon.
Etymology: Blend of "Parent" (One who begets, gives birth to) and "ranting" (to scold vehemently)
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COMMENTS:
I think I will be on the same show. :) - lumina, 2008-08-29: 15:28:00
So many great words today! - Nosila, 2008-08-29: 20:11:00
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Scarefication
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: skair-uh-fi-key-shuhn
Sentence: Mother hen believes in the use of scarefication to keep her chicks in line. A little lie here, an exaggeration there, all pecked into their little psyches until they are afraid to do anything wrong.
Etymology: scare (to fill, especially suddenly, with fear or terror; frighten; alarm) Scarification (scratching, etching, burning/branding, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification)
Whopperstopper
Created by: kerryb
Pronunciation: wopur stopur
Sentence: My parents never failed to verbalize any number of whopperstoppers in order to curb my ongoing misbehavior.
Etymology: whopper: A ridiculous and ostentatiously bodacious lie or misnomer that would violate the bounds of belief beyond any child older than 5! stopper: A metaphorical line in the sand that is designed to cease unwanted action or behavior.
Poultrygeist
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: pol tree guyst
Sentence: Chickenita Bantama had a hard time persuading her youngest chick,Henny Youngman, to eat his feed. She finally had to resort to scare tactics and told him the tale of the poultrygeist. It was a scary ghost chicken that came after little chicks that did not eat up their supper. It worked for her, even if some thought it was fowl play...Happy Halloween!
Etymology: Poultry (a domesticated gallinaceous bird) & Poltergeist (a ghost that announces its presence with rapping and the creation of disorder)
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COMMENTS:
LOVING YOUR STORIES - DrWebsterIII, 2012-10-31: 11:24:00
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Emochide
Created by: AlohaJo
Pronunciation: E-mo-ch-I-de
Sentence: The boy, after disobeying his father's warning, had to sit through a lengthy emochide.
Etymology: emotional+ chide
Veilacide
Created by: Rhyme79
Pronunciation: vale-uh-syde
Sentence: My dad was really good at veilacide when we were kids. He had us believing all sorts of things that we now know are utter piffle. For example, he told us that if we didn't brush our teeth they would fall out and fly away to find an old person that needed them! For a while I actually believed that eating my crusts would give me curly hair, so I didn't eat them because I wanted straight hair!
Etymology: An anagram of lie-advice. Veil, ( to cover or conceal, a pretense)+ cide, (latin - killer or the act of killing, in this case 'the truth'!)+ the left over 'a' in the middle = veilacide.
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COMMENTS:
funny story - DrWebsterIII, 2012-11-03: 04:55:00
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Embullshitishment
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: emboŏlshitishmənt
Sentence: Billy grew in a world of embullshitishment. His parents would tell him **Step on a crack and you*ll break your mother*s back**. **Eat your vegetables or the dog will eat your foot**. The world can only wait to see how he will encourage his own children.
Etymology: embellishment (a decorative detail or feature added to something to make it more attractive) + bullshit (stupid or untrue talk or writing; nonsense)
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COMMENTS:
tee-hee! - mrskellyscl, 2010-01-20: 06:26:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James