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'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.

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Persistalents

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: pərsistalənts

Sentence: Some people have a talent for singing, some can play a musical instrument. Joyce has none of these. What she does have is persistalents. Once she sets her mind to do something, it would take an act of Congress to change her course. Nobody is surprised that her pet-of-choice is a pit bull.

Etymology: persistence (firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition) + talents (natural aptitude or skills) sounds a bit like pestilence.

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COMMENTS:

nice - Jabberwocky, 2009-06-11: 15:47:00

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Persistenator

Created by: arrrteest

Pronunciation: per-sis-ten-ay-tor

Sentence: In the office, Phyllis was called the persistenator. She worked hard and despite not having quite the flashes of brilliance and withitness as many new hires. However, she always was went about her daily duties. After 3 years waiting for the promotion from mail clerk to record filing, it took her another 4 years to make it to front desk. After spending 10 years at the job, and after much turnover in the office, she was finally promoted to office manager 6 years ago. She hoped to make the jump to mid-level management soon as she just completed a correspondance course in business administration.

Etymology: persistence,the act of persisting or persevering; continuing or repeating behavior + ator, suffix indicating a person that is involved with doing what the root word is about

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COMMENTS:

On a roll! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-02: 05:29:00

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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.

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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

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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)

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Littlengina

Created by: verbherder

Pronunciation: lit-l-en-jahy-nuh

Sentence: The blue-haired woman ringing up Slurpees for the past 38 years at the Gas 'N Sip turned out to be a littlengina. Some publisher bought the novel she was always jawing about, and now it's a best seller in several regions of Portugal.

Etymology: The little engine that could

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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

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Hangstay

Created by: rebelvin

Pronunciation: hang+stay

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

Etymology: hang+stay

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COMMENTS:

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

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Purseverance

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: poor sev eer ans

Sentence: When jockey/owner Cher Bett entered her horse, Mane Chance, in the biggest cup competition of the racing season, she had to overcome a lot of obstacles. Being a woman owner/jockey was a major issue in the male dominated sport. Getting backers, paying trainers, vets and stable staff were major financial considerations for the not-rich Cher. But after all her purseverance, she not only ran in the race, but won it at 20-to-1 odds. She won so much, she can afford to hire jockeys now and has become a legend in race circles!

Etymology: Purse (a sum of money offered as a prize) & Perseverance (persistance; tenacity)

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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].

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COMMENTS:

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

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Nosensequitter

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: no/sens/kwit/tur

Sentence: Sally's philosophy was to aspire to be a nosensequitter who would never give up even if it was an unwarranted conclusion.

Etymology: no sense + quit + non sequitur (illogical conclusion)

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COMMENTS:

Cute word...to fatten the Latin! - Nosila, 2009-06-11: 11:00:00

great! - mweinmann, 2009-06-12: 07:47:00

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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