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.
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.
Maitredisgusting
Created by: bzav1
Pronunciation: maitre dee skusting
Sentence: What he did to my cake was maitrdisgusting. I will never complain about my dessert again!
Etymology: maitre de + disgusting
Regretel
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: re gret el
Sentence: When he followed the breadcrumb trail to the house made of candy in the Enchanted Forest, Hansel complained to the old crone that lived there.He could not find his sister and accused her of holding her there against her will. When he realizes her intent, he is full of regretel and so soon is the old crone...
Etymology: Regret (remorse;be sorry) & Gretel (Sister in the Grimm fairy tale Hansel & Gretel)
Remorselphobia
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: Ree - morse - el - fo - bee - uh
Sentence: After harshly criticizing the dessert the waiter brought, Gracielda had a bout of remorselphobia over the thought of what the waiter may return with.
Etymology: Remorse + morsel + phobia
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COMMENTS:
nice word... - hendrixius, 2007-11-30: 08:34:00
very nice - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-30: 15:06:00
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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)
Maitrebution
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: mey/truh/byoo/shun
Sentence: As soon as she returned her over cooked steak, she had a sick sense that maitrebution would occur behind the closed doors of the kitchen on her new steak.
Etymology: maitre d'+ retribution
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COMMENTS:
Great word -- I'll be thinking about it the next time I send food back at a restaurant. Yikes!! - franke, 2007-11-30: 10:03:00
A legitimate beef. No doubt her next steak will be cooked medium hair. - purpleartichokes, 2007-11-30: 10:22:00
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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
Retaliphobia
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ree ta la fo bee ya
Sentence: When Fastedia dines out, she always finds fault with her meal selections. Her complaints are picky, minor beefs that really annoy the wait staff. (Where's my parsley garnish?) Afterall, they are busy enough without running back and forth for her. After several acts of revenge in past, she has developed retaliphobia of the servers. It makes her job as a restaurant columnist all the harder...
Etymology: Retaliate (take revenge for a perceived wrong)& Phobia (an anxiety disorder characterized by extreme and irrational fear of simple things or social situations)
Retailiate
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
Diabolical! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-28: 17:39:00
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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