Vote for the best verboticism.

'So team, what do you think of my new idea?'

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.

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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.

Stealthcontempt

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: stealth-con-tempt

Sentence: Eighth grade teachers feel a certain amount of stealthcontempt every time they turn their backs to their class. Girls giggle, pencils get dropped and a new generation of class clowns begin honing their skills at the teacher's expense. The young comics eventually learn, though, that the teacher really does have eyes in the back of her head, knows every trick in the book, and is not amused. The fledgling jesters are doomed to spend many long hours of their young lives doing long division problems and cleaning erasers.

Etymology: wordplay on self-contempt: to consider oneself as inferior; to mock or deride oneself -- stealth: an action done covertly or in secret + contempt: scorn, disrespect, open dislike; to be considered as inferior

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COMMENTS:

artr and later comes stealthloathing. - artr, 2010-04-16: 11:16:00

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| Comments and Points

Handestine

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: han/dess/tine

Sentence: They thought the CEO couldn't see the one fingered handestine salute he was given behind his back. Little did they know he wore two way mirrored glasses.

Etymology: hand + clandestine (covert)

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COMMENTS:

digitally enhanced vision! like it - galwaywegian, 2008-01-28: 07:19:00

I seriously debated over whether to even bother trying to make a word today, I liked this one so much...fantabulous. - Banky, 2008-01-28: 08:22:00

This will be heard, for it's such a handy word, by design, usefully fine! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 12:52:00

Handsome! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:21:00

I have to hand it to you! You handled this challenge well!! Easily the best word today!!! - Stevenson0, 2008-01-28: 21:01:00

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| Comments and Points

Gesticulatent

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: jest tick you klay tent.

Sentence: Every time Fred called his employees on the phone from his travels, his reponses would be a bunch of gesticulatent signals from his rather immature staff.

Etymology: gesticulate (to show, express or direct through movement) & latent (at some eventual time in the future, potential)

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Excellent combination. - metrohumanx, 2008-11-19: 20:17:00

metrohumanx A beautiful word. I am stunned by the brevity of your sentence. Still love it, though! - metrohumanx, 2008-11-21: 08:34:00

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| Comments and Points

Pantosign

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: pan to sine

Sentence: Harvey's banal suggestions were always met with the usual pantosigns by his supportive employees.

Etymology: pantomime (using gestures, not words) & sign (gesture, motion)

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COMMENTS:

Excellent! - silveryaspen, 2008-02-06: 17:57:00

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| Comments and Points

Gesturot

Created by: purpleman

Pronunciation: gest/ter/ot

Sentence: this is usually on fone

Etymology: Gesture+not

| Comments and Points

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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| Comments and Points

Handygraphed

Created by: silveryaspen

Pronunciation: han dee graff t

Sentence: Larry considered himself quite the lothario. He used clandesigns (clandestine signs) to signal other men in the area, to indicate what he thought of any woman near him, and how he rated them. He was pretty handy-dandy at sly signs. You could see, or say, he perfected the art of handygraphed!

Etymology: Interplay of the words of hand and graphed along with a pun on the word handicraft. Handy - skillful with the hands. Graphed - represented with signs. Handicraft - anything made with manual skills also known as hand skills.

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COMMENTS:

welcome back - Jabberwocky, 2008-11-19: 13:28:00

And so say all of us. Nice word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-11-19: 16:47:00

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| Comments and Points

Jesture

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: jest chur

Sentence: When their Boss came up with one of his lame-brain ideas on a conference call, his loyal staff were each doing a rendition of a jesture. They thought he was dumb, until he replayed the camera phone shots he had of each them for their annual reviews...way to not get raises, duh!

Etymology: Jest (activity characterized by good humor;act in a funny or teasing way)& Gesture(the use of movements (especially of the hands) to communicate familiar or prearranged signals)

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COMMENTS:

Awesome, love it! - Biscotti, 2011-08-30: 08:11:00

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| Comments and Points

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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| Comments and Points

Hexpression

Created by: Banky

Pronunciation: hecks-press-shun

Sentence: While the caller would blather on about savings on international calls of up to 1.3% over other hucksters, Dana would focus on contorting her face into her telemarketer hexpression, which she was convinced would visit bowel cancer upon these rude troglodytes.

Etymology: hex - a curse or malicious spell, expression - a visual depiction of mood or sentiment

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COMMENTS:

very funny - I'll have to try that some time - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-28: 10:54:00

Great idea! Terrific word! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-28: 11:40:00

Haha. Your sentence was LOL-funny! - Tigger, 2008-01-28: 12:09:00

Great word and sentence! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-28: 16:48:00

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| Comments and Points

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-28: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn. ~ James

Maxine - 2008-01-28: 08:57:00
This is a really great cartoon!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-28: 11:03:00
Thanks Maxine! ~ James

libertybelle libertybelle - 2008-01-28: 11:12:00
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!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-01-28: 14:30:00
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.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-04-16: 00:10:00
Today's definition was suggested by ErWenn. Thank you ErWenn. ~ James