Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
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.
Clereckage
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)
Prevengitis
Created by: Bullwinkle
Pronunciation: prevenj'itis
Sentence: The food was bad but prevengeitis kept me quiet. An overwhelming desire to prevent revenge.
Etymology:
Sabophobic
Created by: logarithm
Pronunciation: sa.bo·fo.bik sab′ə fo bIk
Sentence:
Etymology: Sabotage - A deliberate act of destruction or disruption in which equipment is damaged. Phobic - suffering from irrational fears.
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COMMENTS:
Sabophobic is real textbook material. - metrohumanx, 2008-11-19: 20:27:00
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Truebull
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: true bull
Sentence: When Ruth's steak was so rare it mooed, she sent it back to the chef. She knew she was in truebull, when it came back looking like the leather sole on a cowboy boot that had been through the cow barn.
Etymology: TO RUE, TROUBLE, BULL. To rue troubling over what is not right, because it resulted in being on the receiving end of even worse bull. Truebull is double trouble.
Counterattack
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: counter attack
Sentence: No sooner had Nelly complained to the insurance officer across the service desk about the poor quality of the repairer's work on her storm-damaged roof, she felt that coil of fear in her stomach. Would this woman counterattack with quick thrust of her letter opener, or was she in for a year delay in getting the ruined carpet replaced.
Etymology: counter attack (retaliation) + counter (where one obtains service in a shop or service centre)
Breachofcontact
Created by: Nuwanda
Pronunciation: breech-of-con-tacked
Sentence: Melanie was worried that by sending back her cold soup, she had created a breachofcontact, thus opening herself up for all sorts of unsavory retailatory possibilities. Melanie was aware that the agreement between server and servee was tenuous at best, and did not instigate a breachofcontact lightly. Nonetheless, she was still surprised and more than a little disgusted to find a cigarette butt in her piping hot soup.
Etymology: breach of contract revised to breach of contact
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COMMENTS:
Clever. Great sentence with nice nuances. - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 17:53:00
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Purchill
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: PUR-chil
Sentence: After Bob was overheard to quip: "In this restaraunt the only good waiters are the customers," the fickle-feel gaze of the head-waiter sent purchills of retailiation up his spine.
Etymology: 1. Purchill: a blend of purchase & chill: a depressing influence on the feelings. 2. Retailiation: (retail & retaliation)
Waitdress
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: wey/dress
Sentence: Whenever you complain and send back an item at a restaurant be prepared for the waitress to waitdress your food with a little spattle and snottle to make things just right for you.
Etymology: WAITDRESS - verb WAITRESS (a woman who waits on tables) + REDRESS (satisfaction for wrong; to set right; remedy, or repair)
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COMMENTS:
Great word! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 17:44:00
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Revengeservice
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Be careful what you wish outloud for...
Etymology:
Retailiation
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: re tayl ee ay shun
Sentence: When Gerda complained to her hairdresser that she did not like the colour and cut given to her the day before, she demanded a new free colour and cut the next month. Although she feared retailiation, the hairdresser grudgingly obliged, foregoing her commission. Gerda's fears were unfounded, as purpily, uneven, fuzzy, fried hair is all the rage now!
Etymology: Retail (the selling of goods or services to consumers) & Retaliation (avenge;action taken in return for an injury or offense)
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COMMENTS:
I'll buy that! - galwaywegian, 2011-08-12: 06:24:00
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Comments:
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!
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?
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
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
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James