Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. The weird feelings that rise up when you notice that you are being followed by a police officer, or a cop car, or the Special Forces Anti-Terrorist Unit. v. To feel nervous, self-conscious and guilty whenever you see a police officer.
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.
Authoriphobia
Created by: kateinkorea
Pronunciation: aw THOR i PHOE bee yah
Sentence: I was having another attack of authoriphobia as I pulled over to the side of the road, but the police car kept driving right past.
Etymology: AUTHORITY: people in power PHOBIA: irrational fear
Copkarma
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /kop-kar-muh/
Sentence: Driving on an unfamiliar and secluded highway, on his way to college, Javier noticed a police car suddenly pull out behind him. He started to get nervous and slowed down. Had he even been speeding? Was he now going too slow, arousing further suspicion?... Were the cops here overly suspicious of young Hispanic men driving through their area in a new car? Had he done anything wrong? He'd changed lanes a few miles back, but he didn't remember signalling the lane change — there had been no other cars in sight to signal to. Perhaps there had been a police car hidden back there and he'd simply radioed to his partner up the road. How many of them were there, closing in on his position right now? Or did this have something to do with the beer Javier had drank at his going-away party two nights ago? He wasn't of legal driking age yet. It must be copkarma — all of his recent minor trangressions catching up with him.
Etymology: Cop car - Informal; automobile used by police officers (abbreviation of 'copper' & Latin, carrus "chariot") + Karma - Hinduism/Buddhism; action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad (from Sandskrit, karman "action, fate")
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COMMENTS:
Very Resourcefull! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 16:22:00
I like it! - purpleartichokes, 2008-03-20: 17:06:00
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Copidation
Created by: jajsr
Pronunciation: Cop-eh-day-shun
Sentence: Joann, running late to work sped to her favorite coffee shop, as she could not function without her coffee. At the coffee shop, Joann couldn't help to feel the sense of copidation as the coffee shop was teeming with police officers.
Etymology: Combination to "Cop" - slang for police officer and "Trepidation" - timorous uncertain agitation.
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COMMENTS:
Great combo! - metrohumanx, 2009-01-12: 17:55:00
Good one! - Mustang, 2009-01-12: 23:11:00
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Gendarmealarm
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: jahn/darm/alarm
Sentence: I experience such acute gendarmealarm that I even break into a sweat when I see a hall monitor from a French immersion school.
Etymology: gendarme + alarm
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COMMENTS:
incroyable! - galwaywegian, 2009-01-12: 08:16:00
Bilingual Kudos! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-12: 10:57:00
immersion school...is that like a sensory deprivation tank? - metrohumanx, 2009-01-12: 17:52:00
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Copscientious
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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Hangxiety
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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Omnidread
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: OM-knee-dred
Sentence: Generica quickly took a mental inventory of her possible transgressions when she saw the herd of uniformed coppers converge on her zone of control. Sure, she helped Waldo burn his draft card and disappear into the seedy underground, but that was long ago. They probably weren't looking for her, but the OMNIDREAD rose up in her craw like too many shots of sweet brandy. Perhaps she was just being paranoid, but then she remembered that Timmy The Beard was wasting away in a Guantanamo torture cell for the crime of...."SUSPECTED NOVELTIES"
Etymology: OMNI+DREAD=OMNIDREAD.....OMNI: encompassing everthing you may have done, even in your youth.....DREAD:to be apprehensive or fearful,to fear greatly,to feel extreme reluctance to meet or face the authorities;Middle English dreden, from Old English drǣdan...
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COMMENTS:
Bush and Cheney are going to slip away unpunished like thieves in the night. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-12: 02:05:00
Actually, it was Roger Bacon who was imprisoned for "suspected novelties" back in the 13th century, i believe- but history has a nasty way of repeating itself. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-12: 02:21:00
Your suspected novelties are good, metro...interesting phrase! - Nosila, 2009-01-12: 19:13:00
Thanks, N ! I wish I could say it was my own invention (suspected novelties). - metrohumanx, 2009-01-13: 07:59:00
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Coparanoia
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
Copscious
Created by: kimmarie
Pronunciation: cop-shus
Sentence: Ever since she thought of lifting that pack of gum from the 7-eleven she has been copscious of anyone around her in uniform.
Etymology: cop + conscious
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by Nosila. Thank you Nosila. ~ James
mokelmoney - 2009-01-12: 12:32:00
copetrinoia
mokelmoney - 2009-01-12: 12:38:00
copetrinoia: cop/ e/ tri/ noia- to be petrified of the cops to the point of paranoia. Also, not change the subject [no pun intended] ,however I have made numerous contributions. Why are they being disregarded? Please check again...thats Bea Helfy or mokelmoney. Thank you
Today's definition was suggested by Nosila. Thank you Nosila. ~ James
DiplomatUfimskmef - 2018-05-27: 19:30:00
Уважаемые пользователи, друзья! Хотелось бы поделиться несложной и оч
GeorgeSib - 2018-05-27: 19:51:00
Вашему вниманию: организация свадеб в киеве и многое другое от Компании АртМуз: организаци