Vote for the best verboticism.

'It's time to find your inner cockroach'

DEFINITION: n. A person who succeeds not because of their talents, but because they just won't quit. v. To firmly believe in your talents and never give up on your goals, despite the huge obstacles, snide comments, and repeated setbacks.

Create | Read

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.

Hangstay

Created by: rebelvin

Pronunciation: hang+stay

Sentence: She won't quit, she is such a hangstay.

Etymology: hang+stay

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

nice simple combination. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-02: 05:28:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Shambition

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: shambishən

Sentence: After years of being passed over for advancement, Harry's time finally came. He was promoted to Division Director. Unfortunately the budget cuts and ensuing layoffs left him as the lone worker. In a case of shambition Harry hadn’t even applied for the position when it was vacated by his former boss.

Etymology: sham (a thing that is not what it is purported to be) + ambition (a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work)

| Comments and Points

Persistrance

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: per-sis-trance

Sentence: Norma's persistrance helped her win Employee of the Year at work. Unfortunately, she was so focused on her job that she failed to notice that Robert had moved out 2 months ago.

Etymology: persistance: tenacity, strength, purpose + trance: detatchment from one's physical surroundings

| Comments and Points

Sisyfittite

metrohumanx

Created by: metrohumanx

Pronunciation: SISSY-fit-ite

Sentence: She was as dumb as a bag of old hammers- But got a degree and then conquered her stammer. Entomological studies at night… Brought her success as a SISYFITTITE

Etymology: SISYphus+FIT+hitTITE=SISYFITTITE.....SISYPHUS: Sisyphus was compelled to roll a huge rock up a steep hill, but before he could reach the top of the hill, the rock would always roll back down , forcing him to begin again. The maddening nature of the punishment was reserved for Sisyphus due to his belief that his cleverness surpassed that of Zeus. He later took a correspondance course to better himself, but wound up working in a gas station......FIT: to be seemly or proper for, to be suitable for or to harmonize with; Middle English fitten to marshal troops, from or akin to Middle Dutch vitten to be suitable.....HITTITE: a member of a conquering people in Asia Minor and Syria with an empire in the second millennium b.c. Based upon excavated pottery shards, they seemed to have been preoccupied with insects and cartoon beagles, although this is often disputed.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

metrohumanx The Wayback machine originally referred to a fictional machine from an ongoing feature of the cartoon The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show used to transport the characters Mr. Peabody and Sherman back in time. It is also used as the name for part of the Internet Archive's site. - metrohumanx, 2009-06-11: 11:43:00

DrWebsterIII I love the thorough etymology - DrWebsterIII, 2009-06-11: 14:15:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Personverence

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: per son veer ents

Sentence: Jane's coach tried to instill in her a sense of personverence. He made her do yoga with a cockroach on her nose. He thought if she overcame her bizarre fear of bugs, she could be a gold medal yogoist. Trouble is, coach never knew it was not an Olympic sport yet and so her goals were beyond her roach. He was obviously just a Roachcoach...if he taught theatrics, he could be a Stagecoach!

Etymology: Person (a human being) & Perseverence (the ability to be persistent, refuse to stop)

| Comments and Points

Grinderminder

Created by: pieceof314

Pronunciation: grīnd-er-mīnd-er

Sentence: Kendra's stick-to-it-ness gave her the reputation of being the workplace grinderminder. No matter what the boss threw at her, she always plodded her way through each task, often learning the ropes as she went along. Sometimes she was able to do it with no problems, other times she had to start over and ask for help. Either way, everyone knew she wouldn't quit.

Etymology: grind, from grindstone + minder, a person who is paying attention to something

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

that's stupid. :D - daniellegeorge, 2008-05-01: 09:39:00

What? Why would you say that? - pieceof314, 2008-05-01: 13:54:00

Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-02: 05:27:00

Thanks, Ozziebob! - pieceof314, 2008-05-02: 14:50:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Obsesstinate

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: ob/sess/stuh/nit

Sentence: Karen's obsesstinate personality drove her supervisors and managers crazy and so she was promoted quickly up the company infrastructure to get rid of her, not because of her business sense, or corporate abilities.

Etymology: some one who is totally obsessed with being obstinate - obsess + obstinate (tenaciously unwilling to yield)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Good one. - Mustang, 2008-05-01: 22:06:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Nonquitidity

Created by: jakebrain69

Pronunciation: non kwitt idi tty

Sentence: " her bullish nonquitidity to accept the general acceptance was inspirational"

Etymology: determined, firm, unceasing.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Lovely word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-02: 05:39:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Persevictor

Created by: stache

Pronunciation: pûr'sə-vĭk'tər

Sentence: Although Harriet looked to be the sure winner in the early stages of the marathon, Tortence, the plodder, would not give up and became the persevictor.

Etymology: persevere, to persist in anything undertaken [Middle English perseveren, from Old French perseverer, from Latin persevērāre, from persevērus, very serious]; victor, One who defeats an adversary; the winner in a fight, battle, contest, or struggle[Middle English, from Old French victeur, from Latin victor, from victus, past participle of vincere, to conquer].

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Nice word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-02: 05:31:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Talentenacious

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: talətənāshəs

Sentence: It’s not that Jim is the best or brightest in his field. His skill is being tanentenacious. The fact that he can’t carry a tune with a flat-bed truck doesn\'t stop him from becoming a country/western singing sensation. His rugged good looks, back-up singers and technology by the truckload has gotten him far. There was that little setback last week when somebody called ASPCA to report an animal being tortured when Jim was singing in the shower, but he’ll get past that.

Etymology: talent (natural aptitude or skill) + tenacious (not readily letting go of, giving up, or separated from an object that one holds, a position, or a principle)

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-01: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Lesson # 4: "Persistence trumps talent". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-06-11: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Lesson # 4: "Persistence trumps talent". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-07-05: 00:05:00
Today's definition was suggested by johnnybunko. Thank you johnnybunko. ~ James