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'That cake is so dry it's completely indigestible!'

DEFINITION: n., The fear that your service representative will retaliate after you have complained. v., To be afraid of bad service because you complained about it.

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Verboticisms

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Phlegmafear

Created by: abrakadeborah

Pronunciation: phlim-uh-fear

Sentence: Bratillda is overcome with a regretful feeling of phlegmafear when she complains about her food in a restaurant.

Etymology: Phlegm-Thick,mucus secreted by the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. (Yuk!) A fear-To be uneasy or apprehensive.

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Retailiate

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: rēˌtālēˌāt

Sentence: Richard already felt like the bottom rung on the ladder, working as a clerk in a discount shoe store. When a customer snapped her fingers and demanding immediate attention and referring to him as "Hey you", he knew he had to retailiate. First he made sure that each shoe he brought out was a half size smaller or narrower than what she needed. The ones she really loved were always out of stock. When she finally found a pair that she could shove her hoof into, he took her purchase to the register and mis-entered her information so that the transaction was rejected and he could announce in a not-too-quiet voice, "Mam, your card has been declined, do you have another?" The look on her face made all the aggravation worth it.

Etymology: retail: the sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption rather than for resale + retaliate: make an attack or assault in return for a similar attack

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COMMENTS:

I know this clerk. What a jerk! - wayoffcenter, 2008-10-28: 07:00:00

you've obviously suffered through a retail job at some time - great word - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-28: 13:02:00

metrohumanx Diabolical! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 17:39:00

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Remorselangst

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: re-MORSE-uhl-angst

Sentence: Seeing what she thought was vengeful aggravation in the eyes of the waiter when she complained about her dinner, Matilda experienced a huge wave of remorselangst and found herself wishing she'd just eaten the overdone steak rather than to complain about it.

Etymology: Blend of remorse, morsel, and angst

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Downright inspirational! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 02:28:00

like it! - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-28: 13:01:00

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Bitchback

Created by: wayoffcenter

Pronunciation: bich bak

Sentence: Milley had a BMW personality (bitch, moan,whine) to the point that she didn't even notice she was doing it. As such, she was often the recipient of bitchback. She would bitch about an appetizer and get a lousy entree. She would moan about long lines and it would take extra days for checks to clear at the bank. She would whine about poor service and end up with even less. All this did was add fuel with which to rev up her BMW.

Etymology: bitch (express displeasure; grumble) + pitchback (a baseball practice device that bounces a ball back to a player

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COMMENTS:

Hey, I know this is an old contest but I missed it before so what the hey... - wayoffcenter, 2008-12-09: 05:26:00

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Remorsel

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: re-MORS-el

Sentence: When she complained about the serving of cake Angie thought she detected a bit of disdain by the waiter and she experienced a wave of remorsel, fearing some sort of retaliation when the waiter returned with replacement serving.

Etymology: Blend of 'remorse' (regreat) and 'morsel' (a bit of food)

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Clereckage

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: klərekij

Sentence: Despite the fact that everything in her order was wrong, Joyce was kept quiet. She feared the clereckage that might occur if she complained.

Etymology: clerk (a person employed in an office or bank to keep records and accounts and to undertake other routine administrative duties) + wreckage (something that has been badly damaged or destroyed)

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Spitangst

Created by: Pancake

Pronunciation: spih-TANG-kst

Sentence: Tom felt a bit of spitangst after he had his burger returned to the kitchen.

Etymology: Spit (ejection of saliva from the mouth) + Angst (a feeling of dread). Origininating from an urban fear that employees preparing food in restaurants might spit on a customer's meal if the customer is being particularly demanding or picky.

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Gaffatwaphobia

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: gaff at waff o bee a

Sentence: Her gaffatwaphobia was so intense that she called all of the teddy bears she gave as gifts to her nephews and nieces after herself, for fear of reprecussions.

Etymology: Gaff fatwa phobia

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Retrifarction

Created by: schoolmarm

Pronunciation: ret/ruh/FARK/shun

Sentence: Seconds after she mentioned her dirty spoon to the waiter, she suffered a massive retrifarction and had to be removed from the restaurant.

Etymology:

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Gripesniperr

metrohumanx

Created by: metrohumanx

Pronunciation: gripe-SNIPE-air.....(can be pronounced with a mock French accent)

Sentence: Petula stopped at the local Serbo-Croatian restaurant on the way home from her assertiveness training seminar. The tripe was not up to snuff, and when the waiter brought her a flaccid eclair, she sent it back to the chef after browbeating the waiter who delivered it. As the minutes crawled ominously by, Petula was seized by a sudden GRIPESNIPERR....perhaps she was being too hard on the "Beav"- he was only waiting tables to pay off that AK-47 he brought from his homeland. An exorbitant tip might compensate for her hasty harangue, but by then it could be too late....Milosh might be a real GRIPESNIPER....err....."Czech, Please."

Etymology: GRIPE+SNIPE+ERR=GRIPESNIPERR...........GRIPE:to complain with grumbling;Middle English, from Old English grīpan; akin to Old High German grīfan to grasp, Lithuanian griebti.....SNIPE:shoot at exposed individuals from a usually concealed point of vantage.....ERR:to make a mistake,to violate an accepted standard of conduct, especially in an eatery of suspiciously vague ethnic origin; Middle English, from Anglo-French errer, from Latin errare to wander, err; akin to Old English ierre wandering, perverse, Gothic airzeis deceived.

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Can't identify that snack? Lookee here: http://www.hanttula.com/exhibits/mofa/ - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 01:47:00

metrohumanx Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that’s bad for you! ~Tommy Smothers - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 02:11:00

merde! she got away just in time - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-28: 12:59:00

Yes, Petula was just being Prague-matic! - Nosila, 2008-10-28: 13:59:00

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-11-30: 00:28:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram~ James

remistram - 2007-11-30: 10:14:00
I admit - one of my paranoias....

purpleartichokes - 2007-11-30: 13:49:00
Thanks for all the great definitions Remi!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-12-01: 07:45:00
By the way, Remistram also gets a credit for yesterday's definition. She originally submitted her definition about compulsive sniffing in June, so I have added her name to the credits which she shares with kabloozie. Thanks! ~ James

silveryaspen - 2008-12-09: 01:06:00
Am I the only one confounded by the previous verbotomies being show as new ones, along with the re-run of the definition? When we go to vote for the new verbotomies, it's going to be confusing to vote for the new verbotomies instead of the old verbotomies.

logarithm - 2008-12-09: 04:24:00
A re-run, huh? I think it's ok to mix the old and new verbotomies together, and let people vote for their favourites. New verbotomies are great, but some of the old ones might still be the better ones. p/s Silveryaspen: I am back! ;-)

wayoffcenter - 2008-12-09: 05:31:00
But old games have already been decided and have major point advantages over any new entries. It stops regular contributors from playing. They already have a word entered for this contest.

logarithm - 2008-12-09: 07:02:00
It's a contest?

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-12-09: 07:05:00
Hey Silvery et al, Oops! Double replay. I have now updated today's definition. See it here: Isn't it a bit early to be wearing Christmas decorations? Be creative, James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-12-09: 07:17:00
Yes, logarithm, it's a game. We have daily and weekly winners. The winning word of the day gets printed in the "b", Baltimore's free daily newspaper. See: b the paper. ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-03-25: 00:11:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James