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.
Gulpable
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: gəlpəbəl
Sentence: Its not that he was all that bad a driver but every time he saw a police car in his rear view mirror he would have a gulpable moment. He would also fall into a state of dread when he came into contact with a doctor.
Etymology: gulp (make effortful breathing or swallowing movements, typically in response to strong emotion) + culpable (deserving blame)
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COMMENTS:
Captures the reaction and feeling so very well! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-12: 10:40:00
Gulpability is a serious crime...good word! - Nosila, 2009-01-12: 19:12:00
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Petrifuzzed
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: pe tri fuzz d
Sentence: The patrol car at a cafe, or stopping someone on a highway, chills us and fills us, with anxieties. We avoid them, like they were a dread disease. Even doing nothing wrong, it doesn't take very long, if around us, the cops buzzed, we go stone cold ... I call it petrifuzzed!
Etymology: PETRIFIED, FUZZ. PETRIFIED - so uneasy you turn stone cold. FUZZ - slang term for any type of police.
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COMMENTS:
great word - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-12: 12:06:00
Very sobering thought. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-12: 17:53:00
good word - mweinmann, 2009-01-13: 08:30:00
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Lawofthejangle
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: law - of - the - jan - gul
Sentence: As I wind my way through the jungle of city streets, a squad car sticks to my bumper like glue. Even though I am doing nothing wrong, it is making me very nervous and edgy! Don't you just hate it when you become a victim of the unwritten lawofthejangle? There ought to be a law against police stalking innocent people.!
Etymology: Law of the Jungle, Jangle. Law: police. Jangle: irritating a person's nerves.
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COMMENTS:
The law of the jangle and the jangled nerves brought on by the scrutiny of the law. Always running in circles...the rat race goes on....and on....and on. ;-) - Mustang, 2008-03-20: 07:05:00
and the heat goes on, la de dah de da - petaj, 2008-03-20: 09:31:00
very funny - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-20: 11:05:00
Very clever and funny. Thanks for info on copasetic. I think I first heard it used in the late 1960s by someone at Mission Control, Houston when speaking to Gene Cernan, saying "Everything is copasetic, Gene." I don't know it's etymology, I must try and find out about it . - OZZIEBOB, 2008-03-22: 00:49:00
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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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Authoriterrorian
Created by: Banky
Pronunciation: awe-thorr-ih-tear-roar-een
Sentence: Was it a pothole? Brad was almost certain that it was, but it sort of felt like the truck bounced up instead of slammed down into the hole. The car behind him sped up, closing the gap between the vehicles at a pace that could only mean he would soon be bathed in red and blue light. He saw the outline of the roof mounted lights in the steel blue twilight of the sky. It had to have been a baby. He had run over a baby, and was now going to go to prison for the rest of his life. He would have a cell mate who was in the Vice Lords, and he would rape him...every night for three months. He'd toss him aside, a used shell of a man, trading him casually in the prison yard to a Mexican drug mule for a pack of smokes and a copy of "Jamaican Jugz". He would be unable to sit for weeks, and would have to sleep on the lice-ridden mattress on his stomach, crying himself silently to sleep, unable to...the car changed lanes, flying past him on the right, a blur of a red VW Jetta with a roofrack. Brad's authoriterrorian induced visage of the future faded as he crossed the rumble strip, quickly correcting to keep the truck on the road.
Etymology: authoritarian - submission to authority; terror - palpable fear
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COMMENTS:
Fantastic sentence (as usual), and fits the definition nicely! - purpleartichokes, 2008-03-20: 09:16:00
when you try to say the word it comes out like a dog barking - Jabberwocky, 2008-03-20: 11:11:00
Laugh-out-loud funny story! Great creation. - Tigger, 2008-03-20: 11:55:00
You have a great imagination and the vocabulary and ability to share it ever so wittily. You really know how to play with words! As always ... Excellent! - silveryaspen, 2008-03-20: 15:42:00
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Autoculpaception
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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Orwellate
Created by: zxvasdf
Pronunciation: Or well ate
Sentence: Kristin walked walked down the aisles red-faced in the throes of an orwellate moment as soon as she spotted a couple of bluecoats gathering at the front of the store. Why would she be orwellated? She hadn't done anything wrong!
Etymology: Orwell (as in Orwellian, from 1984 fame/notoriety) and latin prefix -ate (to do, to make, to cause, or to act upon; to do something with)
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COMMENTS:
Unique etymology. The ability of Big Brother to watch us grows with each new technology. - silveryaspen, 2009-01-12: 23:15:00
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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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Suspectious
Created by: lplybon
Pronunciation: "Suss-PEK-shus"
Sentence: "Edwin had one of those days when he felt suspectious all day long. He started fumbling with his change, suddenly nauseous and sweaty, while buying coffe at the corner store, when two off-duty cops came in. Just neighborhood guys, okay? Geez. But then later on he thought he saw that look, that knowing look from a clerk, when renewing his drivers' license ..."
Etymology: A combination of suspicious, suspect, and susceptible.
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