Verboticisms

Created by: doseydotes

Pronunciation: ˈhaŋ-ˈzī-ə-tē

Sentence: Mildred tried to fight it, she really did, but she found herself sweaty with hangxiety every time she passed Ralph, Woolworth's security guard. It had been 55 years since she'd filched that tube of lipstick - she'd been too scared to ever use it, and she ended up throwing it in a drainage ditch - but she was certain that all Ralph had to do was look at her closely enough and he'd KNOW.

Etymology: From the British root, hang, meaning to stand about waiting for the trouble to start so one can get in on it early; and the Finnish (the Fins are such good finishers), xiety, meaning a group that collectively ducks its head in a guilty manner.

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COMMENTS:

Interesting etymology! When I think of hanging ... I think gallows! Your word is frighteningly good! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:45:00

One way to generate true hangziety would be to ask a cop "How's it haning?" - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:47:00

Such a clever pun ... and incorporating hang with all it's meanings was absolutely brilliant! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:48:00

Comprehensive and learned etymology. Saturday night's alright for fighting.... - stache, 2008-03-20: 16:53:00

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Created by: arrrteest

Pronunciation: awto-culpa-sep-shun

Sentence: Julie became acutely aware of her parasympathetic body functions such as her breathing and eyeblinking as soon as she noticed the cops walking in her direction. She new she wasn't speeding because she was walking. No, perhaps they caught her jay-walking two blocks ago, or maybe someone reported her when she accidently stepped on a praying mantis. Or perhaps it was Homeland Security coming to get her for something she said on a telephone call, or the evil thoughts she had towards her boyfriend's ex. Whatever it was, Julie was suffering from an acute case of autoculpaception.

Etymology: auto (self) + culp (fault, blame)+ ception (perception)

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COMMENTS:

Very intellectual and scholarly! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 16:17:00

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Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: cop ab il itee

Sentence: When Sherry forgot her purse at home and found she was driving around without her registration and insurance, she spotted a police car on every corner. Her copability was running in overdrive. She became particularly guilty of coplicity, when one of the squad cars appeared to be following her. She carefully tried evasive maneouvers, but it stayed with her. She was close to panic mode when the offending car swung off and into a donut shop parking lot. Whew, she thought...lucky they never realized that my no-good, two-timing boyfriend was bound up in the trunk!

Etymology: Cop (Slang for Police) & Culpability (a state of guilt)

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Created by: Biscotti

Pronunciation: kop-oh-fo-bee-uh

Sentence: Alex was suffering severe copophobia when he was followed across state lines by a SWAT van. He thought they were following him because he tossed out a beer bottle earlier. Eventually he was pulled over and ony cited for littering.

Etymology: cop (slang for a police officer) + phobia (fear of something)

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COMMENTS:

A SWAT van needed to chase a litter? Why only cited for drinking? Your sentence left me hanging! Please finish me off? Maybe I'm just copophobic ... scared too senseless ... to figure it out! Very meaning full word! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 16:56:00

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Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: kop shee en shuss

Sentence: When Zelda looked in her rear view mirror, that old feeling of being copscientious swept over her when she saw the patrol car behind her with two of the city's finest inside. A drop of sweat started on her brow and the perspiration started flowing. No wonder they called cops The Heat, she thought. She continued driving down the street, hoping they would get called away soon. She was meticulous in her driving procedures, for all her anxiety. Would they pull me over for some minor infraction? Had she forgotten some teensy traffic law? Her hands grew clammy and she prayed that she could get through the next light and leave them behind. Of course, no such luck today. She continued driving and trying to suppress that panicky feeling, hoping that her nervousness would not translate into a foolish mistake. She tried to remember where she had her pink slip and registration papers...her purse or her glove compartment? Letting her eyes stray back to the rear view mirror, she was horrified to see that they had moved up closer behind her. Now, she thought, I'll make a right turn (legally, of course) and try to lose them. To her horror, they signalled to turn right as well. Now she was beyond being copscientious, she was spiralling into panic mode. In the next moment, she felt relief sweep over her, as the patrol car turned into a driveway. She drove on away as the police pulled up to the donut shop. Thank goodness they had never stopped her. It would have been hard to explain away her husband's lifeless body in the trunk!!

Etymology: cops (bad boys, bad boys, what you gonna do, what you gonna do when they come for you??) & Conscientious (characterized by extreme care and great effort )

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COMMENTS:

terrific story - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-20: 11:10:00

Agreed, great story — gave me chills. - Tigger, 2008-03-20: 11:46:00

Terrorific sentence and word! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:22:00

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Created by: c2flores

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Created by: artr

Pronunciation: fəzənoid

Sentence: Jerry can be a real fuzzanoid. He flinches almost every time he leaves his apartment. This might be because is a career criminal who lives next to a police station.

Etymology: fuzz (police) + paranoid (unreasonably or obsessively anxious, suspicious, or mistrustful)

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Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: cop-air-uh-NOYa

Sentence: Whenever Lucinda noticed that any sort of law officer appeared to be looking in her direction she suffered seizures of coparanoia wondering if they had found out about any of the many minor infractions she'd committed over the last couple years.

Etymology: Blend of cop and paranoia

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Created by: readerwriter

Pronunciation: Fuhz-ih-foh-bee-ah

Sentence: When Gretel was three (or was it five?) years old, she had slipped from the kitchen chair when she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "My parental units did not handle the discipline well," she told Dr. Hippolatta Thalamus, her therapist. "I think I've tranferred my repressed anger to the police and anyone in authority, even my beloved Facebook. I think they're going to remove my profile picture for breastfeeding and I haven't even had a baby." "I have been familiar with this type of paranoia since the mid- 1960's," the aging doctor told her, "In the field, different spellings were tried: phuzziphobia...fuzzaphobia...phuzzafobia...but, by the early 1970's fuzzifobia was generally accepted and even made it onto a Peter Max Pop Art poster."

Etymology: From FUZZ a street term for police + PHOBIA, from the Greek for fear

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COMMENTS:

awesome!!! five-ohphobia - elcanyonazo, 2009-02-07: 15:46:00

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Created by: catgrin

Pronunciation: nur-fuhz

Sentence: She'd done nothing wrong, but after he'd been following her for six blocks, the cop in her rearview had Gina feeling totally nerfuzz! Were her tags up to date? Were her lights okay? Did she remember her hand signals?!

Etymology: From "nervous" and "fuzz" (slang for police)

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