Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v., To put an unwanted houseplant, especially a seasonal or gift plant like a Poinsettia or Easter Lily, outdoors in hopes that it will die. n., An unwanted houseplant which has been left to nature.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
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Chrysanthenasia
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: krisanθənāzhə
Sentence: Lilly loves flowers. Unfortunately she has a black thumb. When her husband gave her a potted plant on her birthday it was an act of Chrysanthenasia.
Etymology: chrysanthemum (a popular plant of the daisy family, having brightly colored ornamental flowers) + euthanasia (the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma)
Aspidostracize
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ass pid oss tra size
Sentence: Marvin's Mother-In-Law, Lily, finally went home after her 3 week visit. It was the longest 3 weeks of Marvin's life, as his Mother-in-law was only to eager to point out Marvin's short-comings in fixing up their new place. His wife, Fern, thought it was sweet that her mother had given them a lovely houseplant as a house-warming gift. The Aspidistra was attractive with healthy green foliage, but it constantly reminded Marvin of Lily, so he decided to aspidostracize it in the hopes it would die of neglect outside. It not only survived on the front porch, it thrived and luckily the climate was suitable for it year round. Pretty soon the entire front flower bed was populated with it's baby plants, which also flourished. But every time Marvin came near the plants, he felt they were watching him. They had pistils and they knew how to use them and they were planning to plant him outside soon, too.
Etymology: Aspidistra (evergreen perennial with large handsome basal leaves; grown primarily as a foliage houseplant...also known as Cast Iron Plant,Barroom Plant) & Ostracize (shun;banish;expel from a community or group)
Dieffenbachiassassination
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: dee-fuh n-bah-kee-uh-uh-sas-uh-neyt
Sentence: Debbie was never very good with house plants. She once killed a cactus that her mother-in-law gave her that had survived years of neglect. When her friend gave her a lovely house plant she planted it out front knowing full well that she was committing Dieffenbachiassassination. "It's better that it return to nature than in my kitchen and end up in a trash can" she was heard to say.
Etymology: Dieffenbachia(tropical flowering plants in the family Araceae noted for their patterned leaves) assassination (to destroy or harm treacherously and viciously)
Phytocide
Created by: SpaceCadet
Pronunciation: fye'-toe-sighed
Sentence: "I can't believe you're up to your second phytocide in one year!" said Johnny to his wife as she placed the Poinsettia out on the glacial porch. "Well it's not my fault if they keep showing up unwanted," she replied non-chalantly, some would say psycho-phytopathically.
Etymology: 1. phyto-: relating to plants, from the Greek "phuton" (a plant) from "phuein" (come into being) 2. -cide: denoting an act of killing, from the Latin "-cida" from "caedere" (to kill)
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COMMENTS:
Honestly, I can't believe this isn't in the dictionary already... - SpaceCadet, 2007-11-14: 12:08:00
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Planthenasia
Created by: Boomertoo
Pronunciation:
Sentence: The peak seasons for planthenasia are right after Christmas and Easter, when seasonal gifts are often cast out.
Etymology:
Explantriate
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: eks-plan-TREE-ate
Sentence: When Bob threw the bothersome begonia from his balcony with tarpeian tenacity, he hoped that this floray had finally explantriated all his unwanted "fleur-de-loathe."
Etymology: 1. Explantriate: blend of plant & expatriate. 2. Tarpeian: after "Tarpeian Rock" a cliff in ancient Rome where criminals were executed by being thrown from the top of it. 3. Floray (flora & foray) 4. Fleur-de-loathe (very loosely based on Fleur-de-lis)
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COMMENTS:
clever - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-14: 10:22:00
me likey - SpaceCadet, 2007-11-14: 12:14:00
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Herbamortem
Created by: elisabeth
Pronunciation: The a and b are silent. Herr-mortem
Sentence: Your foxtail fern is herbamortem. OH NO!
Etymology: Dutch
Cropsicle
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: crop-sik-ul
Sentence: Although it was completely infested with spider mites, it took me days to decide to abandon all hope and set my cilantro plant outside to become yet another cropsicle.
Etymology: crop, popsicle
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COMMENTS:
so sad - but funny - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-14: 09:35:00
What's even worse is the plant was on my desk, and I'd snip off a piece to munch on from time to time. Who knows how many miniature spiders are wriggling inside me. Perhaps I should swallow a fly. - purpleartichokes, 2007-11-14: 11:56:00
the eency weency spider climbed up the water spout... - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-14: 15:18:00
From what I heard recently of some of the things some Australian footballers have allegely tried to swallow -as performance ennancers - I wouldn't be surprized if they've to swallow a horse! Cuteword! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-14: 17:33:00
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Croakus
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: krōkəs
Sentence: Jane has a black thumb when it comes to raising plants. Plants given to her are generally doomed to her attempts at kindness. No matter what kind of plant or flower she has it soon becomes a croakus.
Etymology: croak (die/kill) + crocus (a small, spring-flowering plant of the iris family, which grows from a corm and bears bright yellow, purple, or white flowers)
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COMMENTS:
deadly good word - Nosila, 2010-03-11: 00:22:00
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Killant
Created by: yaelash
Pronunciation: ki-llant
Sentence: every time she got flowers or anything green, she couldn't hold on to it for more than a couple of days. soon she would take it outside, killanting it as usual.
Etymology: kill + plant
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by yellowbird. Thank you yellowbird! ~ James'
purpleartichokes - 2007-11-14: 04:19:00
How ironic, I just did this yesterday with some cilantro that developed a wicked case of spider mites. Now I get to feel the guilt allll over again.
Jabberwocky - 2007-11-14: 15:22:00
I got a phone call from cilantro - he said "Save me purple - it's not too late"
purpleartichokes - 2007-11-14: 18:32:00
I hate you Jabber. Here come the nightmares... "I'm freeeeezing!"
The cilantro is just the tip of the iceberg! I heard that Purple iced her entire crop artichokes, which she was **trying** to grow hydroponically in her basement. That is until she saw her electricity bill quadruple. Just think of all those poor baby artichokes... It's sad, until you think -- Purple probably would have ate them anyways. ~ James
mplsbohemian - 2007-11-14: 23:08:00
Tip of the iceberg *lettuce*, you mean.
purpleartichokes - 2007-11-15: 06:54:00
Now I'm all choked up... guess I'll start eating more meat.
Today's definition was suggested by yellowbird. Thank you yellowbird. ~ James
A friend suggested a very scary thought. She says that the verbotomists should get together and have a \"meet & greet\".
Sounds good. We could have a convention in Verbena, Alabama