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.
Divertrickery
Created by: TJayzz
Pronunciation: Dy-ver-trik-eree
Sentence: To stop Ted's disgusting smoking habit, Sue thought she would try a bit of divertrickery, so she invested in a computer generated football game(football being his passion). Soon he was so engrossed in the game that all thoughts of smoking were forgotten, after all it does take two hands to use the control pad.
Etymology: Divert(to distract attention away from) + Trickery(A skilful act or scheme intended to outwit someone) = Divertrickery
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COMMENTS:
I like it. - Mustang, 2008-05-22: 06:43:00
nice - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-22: 13:36:00
Very good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:59:00
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Rehabitulate
Created by: milorush
Pronunciation: (n.) rē'kə-bĭch'ə-lāt'; (tr.v.) rē'kə-bĭch'ə-lā'shən
Sentence: In recent years, an effective form of rehabitulation for incessant smokers has proven to be non-stop eating -- doctors, however, are not convinced the disease isn't worse than the cure.
Etymology: re- = "again" + hab[it] + [cap]itulation = "the act of surrendering"
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COMMENTS:
Nice blend. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 19:00:00
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Resequentiate
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: ree - see - quen - chee - ate
Sentence: When Lenny's behavior went off-track, Mona decided to resequentiate him.
Etymology: re (again, repeat, change) sequential (one at a time), suffix "tiate" (as in initiate, substantiate)
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
Haltitasking
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: hôltētasking
Sentence: Sharon can't stand it when her husband has nothing to do, defined as spending hours playing video games. To keep this from happening she makes sure to keep a full complement of haltitasking items on his honey-do list. Today he is cleaning the dental molding on all the furniture with a toothbrush.
Etymology: halt (bring or come to an abrupt stop) + multitasking (the simultaneous execution of more than one program or task)
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COMMENTS:
good word - Nosila, 2009-07-02: 13:20:00
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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)
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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Incompaticake
Created by: diyan627
Pronunciation: in cum pat eee cayk
Sentence: Barry is so dense...Nina plays incompaticake with him all the time to get him to stop doing things she doesn't like.
Etymology: incompatible + patty cake (game that would entertain a nearly primordial person :) The funny thing is, this is a real definition out there in Behavior Analysis Academia.. The real term for the technique is called Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible behaviors (DRI)
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COMMENTS:
wonderful etymology - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-22: 13:38:00
Is incompaticake the same as wedding -cake? - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-22: 18:53:00
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Procedo
Created by: splendiction
Pronunciation: prow SEE due
Sentence: Sam’s parents accomplished the amazing! He made his bed, vacuumed the downstairs, took out the garbage - all before breakfast! The procedo was that he couldn’t eat until his chores were done.
Etymology: From PROCEDURE and DO - to do a set activity before another activity.
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COMMENTS:
A perfect placebo - Nosila, 2009-07-02: 13:20:00
- of course I would never give out a real procedo like this! - splendiction, 2009-07-04: 21:23:00
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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
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