Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To prevent someone from participating in an undesired activity by engaging them in another activity which makes it impossible to do the first. n. Two things cannot be done at the same time.
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.
Snubstitution
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /SNUB-sti-too-shun/
Sentence: Amanda had learned that when her boyfriend was arguing with her, the best thing to do was turn on the TV and tune in the sports channel. By using snubstitution, she could give his aggression another target. He would still be yelling and shouting, but gradually his attention would shift to the athletes and announcers on the TV instead of screaming at her. Also, sometimes when he was trying to be sweet, Don would serenade her in public, but he had a lousy singing voice — so she would just kiss him repeatedly until he gave up.
Etymology: Snub - to suddenly check or stop the action of; to reject (from Old Norse, snubba "to curse, scold, reprove") + Substitution - something which the place of something else; replacement (from Latin, substitutus "put in place of another")
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COMMENTS:
Like your word and sentence - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 08:20:00
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Occusly
Created by: rebelvin
Pronunciation: OCCUpy+SLY
Sentence: To get him out of the house while the guests arrived for the surprise party, I occuslied him by begging him to walk with me to the store, and I made sure we took the long way.
Etymology: OCCUpy+SLY
Etaskulate
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: e/task/u/late
Sentence: Jenny had such control over Joe that she could easily etaskulate him. A planned night out at the pub with Joe's friends, or a Saturday golf game was always interrupted by Jenny's sudden urge to have him learn knitting, or help her sort her fashion magazine collection.
Etymology: ETASKULATE - VERB - from EMASCULATE (to castrate; to deprive of strength, or vigor; to weaken) + TASK
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COMMENTS:
excellent! - galwaywegian, 2008-05-22: 07:55:00
estastic! - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-22: 13:37:00
Top word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:51:00
E-xcellent word! - Nosila, 2008-05-22: 20:42:00
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Dimswitch
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: dimswich
Sentence: Jill’s boyfriend Donny is not the sharpest tool on the bench. If he starts to perform embarrassing bar tricks at a party she employs her patented dimswitch technique, a.k.a. the ooh-look-a-shiny-thing tactic. It never fails.
Etymology: dim (not bright) + switch (change the position, direction, or focus of)
Distractitask
Created by: pieceof314
Pronunciation: di-strakt-ih-task
Sentence: "Hey Jim, look over here! Pie!" Mary vigorously pointed to the counter where a freshly baked pie was waiting to be dished out, trying to think of a way to get him to stop playing pocket pool. Jim's eyebrows raised as he took his hands from out of his pockets to reach for a plate. Just then, Mary's best friend walked in. The distractitask was successful.
Etymology: distract + task
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COMMENTS:
a bit disdrastic but cunning - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-22: 13:36:00
This aint just "Pie in the Sky" stuff. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:58:00
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Subterguile
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: SUB - ter - gile
Sentence: Ambrosia employed a two pronged game of subterguile on her couch potato fiance, Guilford, first distracting him with alluring smiles and suggestions and then offering other options to lure him away from another weeked of non stop gaming with his LAN buddies on his computer.
Etymology: Blend of subterfuge and beguile
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COMMENTS:
Inspired choice of names. Ambrosia and Guilford, Troilus and Cressida, Romeo and Juliet - petaj, 2008-05-22: 06:15:00
excellent - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-22: 13:40:00
Beguiling! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:56:00
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Distractivity
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: dis-trac-tiv-i-ty
Sentence: Jill learned to keep a distractivity in her purse for social situations with Jack. If he became bored, he would get into trouble. At her mother's dinner party she heard him start a lively conversation about the elections with Uncle Will. Quickly, she pulled a Game Boy out of her purse and sent him into the game room to wait for dinner.
Etymology: distract: divert attention + activity: an educational aid designed to stimulate learning through hands-on experience
Womanipulate
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: wooh man ipp yew layt
Sentence: Anytime the Honkers games were televised, she would use her considerable stache of lingerie to womanipulate the situation. Anything to prevent the new couch being covered with beer and pizza stains.
Etymology: woman, manipulate
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COMMENTS:
I wonder if lingerie works for Hockey as well...hmmm - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-22: 13:41:00
A good "dressing-down" often works! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:46:00
A good "dressing-down" often works! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:46:00
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Distractionhero
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: diss trak shun heero
Sentence: Hazel Nutt was not just a good homemaker, despite the fact that her spouse paid her peanuts to keep the house. Unbeknownst to her family and friends, she became a distraction hero on the weekends. Her mission, should she choose to accept it, was to break all the other nuts of their bad habits. Some were shell-shocked, some would pine, some would get caught pecan at things they shouldn't, some were pistachio every night after happy hour and some were just plain mixed nuts. Her spouse, Wal Nutt was one of the worst offenders, but she'd crack him yet. He was almond to be reckoned with and she knew if she ever wanted to run off to be with the handsome Filbert, living among the Brazil Nuts, she'd have to distractionhero Wall Nutt somehow. One night when Wall Nutt was again peanut attention to her, she put on classical music on their stereo. As he dreamily listened to the music, she smuckered up behind him and conked him on the head with a hammer. Yes, and she had picked the perfect Tchaikcashewsky music to do it to, too...The Nutcracker Sweet!
Etymology: Distraction (the act of distracting; drawing someone's attention away from something or an entertainment that provokes pleased interest and distracts you from worries and vexations) + Action Hero (someone who saves the day and uses their powers to fight for a cause)
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COMMENTS:
Luv your "nutty" sentece. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:55:00
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Nulltitasking
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: null/tee/task/ing
Sentence: He got absolutely nothing accomplished once he began nulltitasking.
Etymology: null + multitasking
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COMMENTS:
Seems like it's time for an annulment- or at least some sort of annulitasking? - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:50:00
Good word, though null and void where prohibited by law... - Nosila, 2008-05-22: 20:39:00
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Comments:
Today's definition is inspired by the "Joy of Incompatible Behaviors". It's Amy Sutherland's secret weapon for dealing with people who have annoying habits which they can't seem to control. The secret is not to try to stop them, but rather get them on another track. See: "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". Thanks Amy! ~ James
Today's definition is inspired by the "Joy of Incompatible Behaviors". It's Amy Sutherland's secret weapon for dealing with people who have annoying habits which they can't seem to control. The secret is not to try to stop them, but rather get them on another track. See: "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". Thanks Amy! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by amysutherland. Thank you amysutherland. ~ James