Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., An expressive gesture made with the belief that the person it is directed at cannot see it, typically occurs during telephone conversations, email discourses, and behind people's backs. v. To use an unseen gesture to express what you cannot say.
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.
Asnide
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /uh-sniyd'/
Sentence: For once, during the staff meeting, Mr. Leeds was calling in from a remote office, and the staff, normally daunted by his blustery manner, each expressed their true feelings in an asnide directed at the speakerphone, while maintaining their usual, timid responses.
Etymology: aside - actor's lines not heard by others on the stage (Old English, a- + sīd "to one side") + snide - derogatory in a nasty, insinuating manner (Origin unknown, from thieves' slang for "counterfeit or sham")
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COMMENTS:
Funny! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 11:43:00
I like it! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:54:00
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Hideandspeak
Created by: bananabender
Pronunciation: HAHYD-n-speek
Sentence: Having had some acting lessons but never playing a paying role, Marla put her "talents" to good use in the office. She hideandspeaks her boss daily by making funny faces and rude gestures while saying all the right things. These days she isn't bothered by work-related stress at all.
Etymology: a play on the children's game hide-and-seek. HIDE: conceal from sight, not speak one's mind, not speak the truth. SPEAK: talk. Also HIDE: the gestures are hidden from the boss. AND SEEK: the boss needs to seek out what the employees REALLY think about it.
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COMMENTS:
Excellent! - ErWenn, 2008-01-28: 10:36:00
Very creative, BB. - Tigger, 2008-01-28: 12:19:00
Oh you bring out the child in all of us ... in the most delightful way! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:48:00
Childhood memories come flooding back! Good word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:53:00
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Unseenisms
Created by: Llama
Pronunciation: Un-seen-isms
Sentence: The poor director had no idea of the horrible unseenisms his subordinates were giving him over the phone.
Etymology:
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COMMENTS:
There is a place for this word in our language! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:57:00
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Guessticluate
Created by: libertybelle
Pronunciation: guess-tick-you-late
Sentence: Thinking that his extended middle finger could not be seen, Glenn told Barry in not so many words that he thought Barry was "number 1"; too bad Barry saw the guessticulation reflected in the window.
Etymology: guess + gesticulate
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COMMENTS:
Your pronounciation is as clever as your etymology ... nice word plays ... as always! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:44:00
Another good word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:50:00
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Dissplay
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: diss pl ae
Sentence: He went through a wide range of dissplays for the benefit of the rest of the staff, who found it hilarious, especially since they had neglected to point out the newly installed webcam sitting atop hia monitor.
Etymology: display, diss as in disrespect
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COMMENTS:
Excellent! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 11:38:00
like it - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-28: 12:32:00
well done! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:49:00
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Invisign
Created by: Dougalistic
Pronunciation: In-vis-sine
Sentence: Geoff made an invisign to Bob the other day, it was hilarious! As you know Geoff has a fetish for sheep, so Bob, being the funny man he is got hold of Geoff's picture of a sheep and started making thrusting gestures down the phone haha! Geoff would have hit the roof!!
Etymology: Invisible - withdrawn from or out of sight; hidden: e.g. 'an invisible seam'. Sign - any object, action, event, pattern, etc., that conveys a meaning.
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COMMENTS:
Very descriptive sentence! [Things that make you go 'Ewe'...] - Tigger, 2008-01-28: 12:06:00
You are so baaaa-d you are good! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:41:00
Probably did it with a sheepish grin! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 17:01:00
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Gesteliate
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: jes-tel-EE-eyt
Sentence: Whenever his boss called him making a new pledge on worker's rights, Bob gesteliated by putting his hand over the phone, and singing aloud the words of the chorus from the Joe Hill song, (The Preacher & the Slave): "You will eat bye and bye, In that glorious land above the sky; Work and pray, live on hay, You will get pie in the sky when you die."
Etymology: Blend of GESTURE: use of movement of arms, hands, head etc to express emotion, thought etc & Tel(e) from afar as in telephone & TALIATE as in retaliate to take action.
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COMMENTS:
Would have never thought to put these two together ... great combo! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:43:00
your definitions always sound so convincing - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-28: 15:32:00
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Oblivisign
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /əˈblɪvəˌsain/
Sentence: Oblivisigning can be intentional and undermining (as in the case of cammoflipoffs and incognigagging), accidental and ineffectual (e.g. imbecignals and pointless pointing), or merely unconscious and superfluous (like redundanods and gratuithrusting).
Etymology: oblivious + sign
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COMMENTS:
Your verboticisms are only excelled by your sentences ... you way with words is ever so large! You bring fun and delight ... in a large way! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:47:00
Crazy sentence with some crazy words! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:58:00
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Fliphandcy
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: flip/hand/see
Sentence: Sue was convinced that her fliphandcy would be construed as mere frivolity.
Etymology: flip (as in flip the finger) + hand + flippancy
Phantomime
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: fan-toh-mime
Sentence: it was my first day of teaching, and i had the uneasy feeling that while i was writing my name on the board , the whole class was phantomiming behind my back
Etymology: phantom, pantomime
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COMMENTS:
phantastic! - galwaywegian, 2008-01-28: 07:20:00
Simply brilliant. - ErWenn, 2008-01-28: 10:36:00
Ghoulishly clever! - Tigger, 2008-01-28: 12:16:00
I could become a phan of phantomine! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:50:00
Can you imagine what I'm phantomiming right now?.... wrong - it's 2 thumbs up - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-28: 15:34:00
Great word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:39:00
Great word! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:41:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn. ~ James
Maxine - 2008-01-28: 08:57:00
This is a really great cartoon!
Thanks Maxine! ~ James
I love the guy making a grab at himself - made me laugh out loud.
silveryaspen - 2008-01-28: 13:16:00
Fun definition, Erwenn. Your cartoon was uproariously funny, James. All the creations were a hoot,great job verbotomists!
ErWenn's definitions always always seem to generate a good laugh. See: Let me hold the door for you... Thanks! ~ James
silveryaspen - 2008-11-20: 08:25:00
Missed you all. Nice to be back.
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn. ~ James