Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To be unable to remember the name of a person you are speaking to, even though you've had a long-standing, and perhaps even an intimate relationship. n. An inability to remember a person's name.
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.
Redhandled
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: red-hand-dull-d
Sentence: "Hi, Frangelica. How's your dad?" said Jack Daniels, the bar owner. "Fine. He told me to tell you hi, too." she replied. "Did he sell his bar yet?" queried Jack. "Nah. Plenty want it, but they don't have the money, and can't get it." she explained. The guy on the next bar stool said. "Who's her dad, Jack? " Jack answered "Johnny Walker." The guy said, "I'm his son-in-law and I'd know if Johnny had a daughter. He never has mentioned a daughter. I, sure as heck, don't have a sister-in-law I don't know! I don't believe you two!" Jack said, "It's true. Go up to his bar and ask him?" All right I will!" He huffed out. Jack and Frangelica chuckled. Johnny had been married three times, and both of his second wives, had children by their first husbands, children Frangelica hadn't even met because they were all adults when their parents married each other. So this was one of their husband's, she figured. Jack said "That's Pernod, Zima's husband, your dad's third wife's youngest daughter, by her first husband." Frangelica shrugged and said, "Living out of state I don't know any of my stepsisters or stepbrothers, let alone their spouses! But it sure is a shock to think the stranger on the bar stool next to me could be my brother-in-law, and I've never laid eyes on him before. I didn't even recognize his name when you said it! I wouldn't even know his wife, my stepsister, if she sat next to me!" They chuckled again, as Jack said "Truth is always stranger than fiction!" Before Frangelica finished her liquor, Pernod was back, walking toward them. "Sure as shooting, you two were right! Johnny is still laughing at me so loud, I can here him clear from here! He told me, 'Of course, I have a daughter.' then grinned and said, 'what's the matter with you Pernod? Don't you and your wife know your own sister-in-law and stepsister?' When I stormed out to come back here, he was still laughing so hard, tears were coming out of his eyes!" He began shaking Frangelica's hand and said "Nice to meet you, sister." He went red with embarassment at being caught not knowing his sister-in-law's name. Feeling very redhandled, he asked. "What did you say your name was?"
Etymology: Red - embarrassed, Red-handed - caught in the midst of an embarrassing situation. Handle - 1) slang term for a name and 2) to cope
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COMMENTS:
silveryaspen, the theory of relativity is alive and well, I see! Good one. - Nosila, 2008-03-04: 01:08:00
somebody's been a bartender in another life - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:08:00
Never been a bartender ... just the bar owner's daughter ... not above a drink in one once in awhile ... but they are really not a part of my life style! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:43:00
The above is actually a real incident from my life! Have you met, and do you know, all the names of your relatives related by marriage only? Think this is becoming more prevalent as mature people marry later in life ... to be honest ... even earlier in life ... where stepsiblings aren't raised in the same state ... let alone household! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:46:00
True life is always stranger and more interesting than real life! (wink)(big grin) - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 16:48:00
Dang ... typed one word for another again ... and didn't even realize it. Above comment should begin True FICTION is always stranger and more interesting than real life! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:27:00
Good word. The sentence made me think of some of my paternal relatives farflung through-out Australia. I have several cousins I have never met. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:59:00
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Babylabeler
Created by: picabomama
Pronunciation: baby/label/er
Sentence: Aaron sounded fatherly and protective, but his wife knew that all the "honey", "sweetheart" & "baby" talk was really just a cover for his profound inability to remember a woman's name. He was a compulsive babylabeler.
Etymology: Baby- the most common name replacer + label
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COMMENTS:
I tried to come up with something along these lines, but buddyize, honeyify, and palform just don't roll off the tongue as well as babylabel. - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:57:00
Wow! Sentence captures how annoying and offensive babylabelers are! Your word captures that feeling of being talked down to! Very apt creation! Simple but packs a wallop! Great create! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:15:00
Very true. Terms like mate, cobber, digger are often godsends for me! Unfortunately, Women's Lib has stamped out the use of luv, darl, etc. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:38:00
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Nymectomy
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /nəˈmɛktəˌmi/ /nuh-MEHK-tuh-Mee/
Sentence: Damn you! If you hadn't asked me, I wouldn't have had any problem remembering his name. How many times have I asked you to stop performing nymectomies on me?
Etymology: 2008 coined in Eng. from nym- (Gk. "onyma" meaning name) + -ectomy (Gk. "ektome" meaning "a cutting out")
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COMMENTS:
Roaring with laughter! Unlike most ectomies, nymectomies are contagious! Wonderful creation! It's a winner in my book! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:32:00
a little angry are we today ErWenn? - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-04: 13:04:00
A really good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:47:00
That'll teach me to verbotomize while I have a migraine. - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 23:50:00
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Amornesia
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: ämoŏrnēzhə
Sentence: Wendy was no good in the morning. Until she had had at least 2 cups of coffee, she was lucky if she could remember her own name. To work her way around her amornesia she took on the habit of calling anybody who ended up in her bedroom sweetheart. Unless she woke up in Starbucks, this is the way it was destined to stay.
Etymology: amore (love - Italian) + amnesia (a partial or total loss of memory)
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COMMENTS:
Absolutely caffeine-dish! - metrohumanx, 2008-12-29: 19:14:00
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Stnammer
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: stnam/ur
Sentence: A stnammer is a memory impediment that gets worse with age.
Etymology: stammer + name
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COMMENTS:
Captures it all! So apt! Stammer was a great choice for it conveys stnammering is a fluctuating, often temporary condition. Intuitively great. Outstanding! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:51:00
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Namenesic
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: nam/eh/nee/sic
Sentence: Boy was namenesic since birth, probably because his parents had a hard time remembering his name. He finally decided to call every woman doll and every man, man.
Etymology: name + amnesic
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COMMENTS:
I was sure someone would beat me to this one. Grr, I'll get you next time, Jabberwocky! - ErWenn, 2008-03-04: 09:58:00
Easy does it ... most of the time! Simplicity is always appealing! Nice one! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 10:10:00
Schmidt's " A Medical Word Finder" gives 'Lethonomia' as inability to recognize names and ' Anomia' as loss of ability to recognize names; I like your word better. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-04: 19:44:00
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Mnemnoops
Created by: Derrida
Pronunciation:
Sentence:
Etymology:
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COMMENTS:
Nice start ... but where's the finish? You need to polish us off with the pronounciation, sentence and etymology ... and they each give you more points! Looking forward to reading more from you! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-04: 17:31:00
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Onomamnesia
Created by: XMbIPb
Pronunciation: /o-no-ma-mne-zhi-a/
Sentence: Woke up one morning and said: “Good morning, Sue” to the woman still sleeping next to me. Given the fact that my wife’s name is not Sue, it didn’t sit well with her. Claiming ONOMAMNESIA didn’t work. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get out of that one? I mean other than to find a good divorce attorney?
Etymology: ONOMA (fr. Greek) – name; AMNESIA (fr. Greek) – forgetfulness
Tagsnag
Created by: kateinkorea
Pronunciation: tag snag
Sentence: I went to introduce my best friend to my mother and had a tagsnag. I just completely went blank.
Etymology: tag: used for name or identity snag: unforeseen problem or stumbling block
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COMMENTS:
Fresh aspect in TAGSNAG. I love it. Short and snappy, too. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-31: 01:12:00
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Amigonesia
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: am ego nees ya
Sentence: When what's-her-name...oh, yeah, Julia was kissing what's-his-name, oh yeah, Julio, his friend, what's-his-name, oh yeah, Raoul, ask who is the lucky lady? At first, what's his name, oh yeah, Julio was stumped, but he got over his amigonesia and realized that it was indeed, what's her name, oh yeah, Julia, his wife. The affects of too much sangria and tequila, old age and what's it called, oh yeah, amigonesia, had taken their toll on what's his name, oh yeah, Julio. It was another game of what's-it-called, oh yeah, Geriatric Jeopardy in full swing.
Etymology: Amigo (Spanish for friend) & Amnesia (partial or total loss of memory)
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James
silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:07:00
Your great word associations and creations made my day, everyone. It is a pleasure to have these mind associations with all of you every day! Isn't this website like sunshine for the mind? !!! Everyone contributes some rays! Everyone goes away warmed by some rays!
silveryaspen - 2008-03-04: 17:08:00
Good job with the defninition and cartoon. Thank you, James.
Thank you Silveryaspen for the inspiring words! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by silveryaspen. Thank you silveryaspen. ~ James