Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. The sacrifice a mother makes when she gives everything to her children, including life itself, and then simply lets them go. v. To give someone everything and then watch them walk away.
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.
Permast
Created by: callum
Pronunciation: per-mast
Sentence: "she held her children in permast"
Etymology:
Philanmomthropy
Created by: Jocoman
Pronunciation: fill-an-mom-thra-pee
Sentence: Philanthropy is an important and generous thing, where a rich man gives something back to the community, but philanmomthropy is greater, because my mother gave me her everything without ever expecting a return.
Etymology: philanthropy + mom
Sprogression
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: sprog-resh-shun
Sentence: Cynthia was sad to see her first born leave home - particularly in such a flippant and nonchalant manner. But she sighed and waved, knowing that her thankless task of bringing up baby was a natural sprogression.
Etymology: sprog (slang for child) & progression (advancing, moving forward)
Matrisacrifract
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: matt-rih-SACK-rih-fract
Sentence: Though she meant well, Alex was glad when his mother reached the point of matrisacrifract.
Etymology: matri- + sacrif(ice) + fract(ure) [a sacrifice followed by a break]. And, c'mon, it's just fun to say. :)
Progeflee
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: präjəflē
Sentence: Theirs was a dysfunctional household. As each child approached the age of majority the urge to progeflee became stronger and stronger. Some went off to college, some found friends to room with. None made any effort to move back home.
Etymology: progeny (a descendant or the descendants of a person) + flee (run away from a place or situation)
Matridoricide
Created by: cohenarie
Pronunciation:
Sentence:
Etymology: latin words for mother, gift and murder
Sacriglect
Created by: jedijawa
Pronunciation: sack-ree-glect
Sentence: Julie tended to sacriglect for her child in that she would give all that she could and then give up before the end.
Etymology: sacrifice + neglect
Nataliberation
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: nay taal ib err ay shun
Sentence: In a final act of nataliberation she presented him with his petrified umbilicus as he walked toward the departure gate.
Etymology: natal liberation
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COMMENTS:
Euwch! That's yukky. But great word. - pinwheel, 2007-05-11: 05:27:00
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Matricede
Created by: pinwheel
Pronunciation: mat/ree/seed
Sentence: As Mrs Brown watched her youngest daughter walk up the aisle, tears of matricede filled her eyes... but heh, the house will be quieter now.
Etymology: matricide (the act of killing your mother) + cede (to give in/sacrifice) + a pun on seed - your children
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COMMENTS:
Spawntastic! - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-11: 04:44:00
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Bratlifice
Created by: katytee
Pronunciation:
Sentence: After 28 years of bratlifice, Mary ran away to Tuscany with the milkman.
Etymology: brats + life + sacrifice
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COMMENTS:
nice word. anywhere but Bratislava would probably have sufficed. - galwaywegian, 2007-05-11: 06:27:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was inspired by Cory Doctorow's novel Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town, which is a story about a guy who's mother is literally a washing machine. It's a great read! And since this weekend is Mother's Day, it seems like the perfect fit! I was also thinking about "After the Siege" in Overclocked, where a mother pushes herself beyond exhaustion trying to save her child - the sacrifice. And purpleartichokes inadvertently suggested the mother idea with her comments on the younger degeneration. Thank you Cory and purpleartichokes! ~ James
ErWenn - 2007-05-11: 09:39:00
I noticed that many verbotomists focussed on the "letting go" part of the definition as the key, while others treated it as just one small part of the maternal sacrifice. I'm sure it says something about our personalities, but I'm not sure what.
We have posted The Petaj Splinterview on the Verbotomy Blog. ~ James
Bulletchewer - 2007-05-11: 16:55:00
I "have issues" because I advocate free speech as opposed to miserable hypocrisy of censorship? HUSH
Hey Bulletchewer, I replaced four letters in your message with non-alphanumeric symbols. Did that make you unhappy? ~ James
Hey ErWenn, I agree with you. The words and language we choose to use do indeed reflect our personalities. And with a definition like today's, there are many different viewpoints, so it gets complicated... I guess that's why they have Freudian psychiatrists. ~ James
Bulletchewer - 2007-05-11: 19:18:00
It made me THE most $@*#ing miserable crybaby in the whole world! Just kidding.
Me too. But that's okay, it's a game ~ James
Anyways, in many parts of the world, this Sunday is Mother's Day, so I would like to remind all our verbotomists to take appropriate action (e.g. buy flowers). And to all our verbotomists who happen to be mothers, I would like to say thank you. Thank you for your wonderful creativity. ~ James
*gasp* I am so honored. Petaj used my word TWICE!!! in his splinterview. Now, I can die peacefully.
Clayton - 2007-05-12: 17:21:00
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the highest scoring words often do not reflect the part of speech suggested by the definition? Occasionally, this can be somewhat difficult to determine from a given description, but "the sacrifice a mother makes" clearly indicates that this word is meant to be a noun. Just nitpicking.
Hey Clayton, I have made a blog posting about this question. See: Parts of Speech and Verbotomy. It will be very interesting to hear what ErWenn has to say about this issue, since he also asked similar questions. ~ James
Clearly I should have mentioned that ohwtepph can also be relied on for coming up with not only amusing words, but very useful additions to everyday language.
Today's definition was suggested by doctorow. Thank you doctorow. ~ James