Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To have difficulty recognizing, and correctly interpreting, human facial expressions. n. A person who cannot read faces.
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.
Ungesticate
Created by: mishmish
Pronunciation:
Sentence: - I was winking at him all night, but he didn't get it . - Well, maybe he's just ungesticate.
Etymology: from "gesto", Italian/Spanish/Portuguese etc. for gesture
Adoubtface
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: a dowt fayss
Sentence: Pinky had always thought she was a visagenist, someone who could read faces and know what people were thinking. That was until she met Bruno. It did not help that Pinky had little control over her own facial expressions. What he interpreted as amourous curiosity on her part, was actually a look of constipation. His leer at her was actually gas pains from the chili he had eaten earlier. Her adoubtface would end in them enjoying a bottle of Pepto together later.
Etymology: A Doubt (a lack confidence in or have doubts about;an uncertainty about the truth or factuality of existence of something;the state of being unsure of something)& Face (the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear; the expression on a person's face;status in the eyes of others) & play on word About-face (change one's mind and assume the opposite viewpoint;a reversal in attitude or principle or point of view;act of pivoting 180 degrees, especially in a military formation)
Incountenance
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: in cown ten ants
Sentence: Jeff had a serious problem, particularly when he was around the ladies. He could not read faces or facial expressions. Because of it, he often misinterpreted the reactions he received from the fairer sex. Jeff suffered from incountenance and as a result, when he wanted them to stay, they wanted him to go!
Etymology: Incontinence (involuntary urination or defecation; indiscipline with regard to sensuous pleasures) & Countenance (the appearance conveyed by a person's face;the human face)
Smilulate
Created by: hooterbug
Pronunciation: smī(-ə)l/yəˌlāt
Sentence: OH Geesh! Thanks guys! mouthed Holly as her friends seem to magically disperse from the bar. Luckily for them they had seen the loomimg presence of their co-worker Stalker Dan, who always seemed to show up wherever Holly and the girls from work decided to party. "Hey Holly, You know what would look good on you?,Dan laughed. No?, Me!!" Ha-hahaha. Holly was going to have a hard time trying to smilulate her way out of this one.
Etymology: Combination of SMILE (A facial expression characterized by an upward curving of the corners of the mouth and indicating pleasure, amusement, or derision)+ SIMULATE (To make a pretense of; feign: simulate interest)
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COMMENTS:
I like it, hooterbug...so apt when dealing with idiots! - Nosila, 2008-07-09: 20:42:00
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Misinherpret
Created by: lumina
Pronunciation: miss/in/her/pret
Sentence: Todd was one of those guys who was a "legend in his own mind." He believed all the ladies were so into him that they couldn't look at him...sometimes even pretending he didn't exist. He was know to misinherpret the facial expressions once a woman was forced as he was known to stand blocking the doors. Yeah...that was his "best move."He was sure the white as a ghost paleness and the just on the horizon retch meant she was "totally into" him.
Etymology: Derived from the word misinterpret, but only applies to misreading a woman.
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COMMENTS:
like it - Jabberwocky, 2008-07-09: 13:49:00
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Misinterpotato
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: miss-in-tur-pah-tay-toe
Sentence: My boss is one of those people who has a permanent grin affixed to his face, which is why I always find myself in hot water for committing misinterpotato.
Etymology: misinterpret, potato (slang for head), Mr. Potato Head (a toy with easily discernable facial expressions)
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COMMENTS:
I like this one, too. Silly, but descriptive. - Clayton, 2007-05-09: 19:00:00
Thanks. I had words that would probably be better liked by the consensus, but this one looked like misterpotato(head). I love Mr. Potatohead! And I loved the way it sounded. Mis-in-ter-po-ta-to. It's benign and semi-comical (in my humble potato-head's opinion). - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-09: 20:14:00
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Mienblind
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: MEEN-blahynd
Sentence: Roxie was certain that she had found the fountain of youth (or, perhaps, just Dani Minogue's Beauty Guide) when she came across an advert featuring the "Prosopial Pill," a startling, C21th make-over breakthrough, whereby one could look just look like he or she wanted to: having any skin, eye, or hair colour, and facial expressions, by simply taking this pill. Bob, upon hearing all this, became deeply concerned with the prospect of Roxie frequently changing her appearance, wondering whether he would be able, in future, to read her prosopialities. Seeking help, he immediately began flicking through "The Dictionary of Verbotomy" and for a while little interested him, and was about to put the book down when one word arrested his eyes: the word Mienblind.
Etymology: MIEN: facial expression, demeanour, bearing, appearance,aspect; air; manner; carriage; bearing or manner, especially as it reveals an inner state of mind & BLIND: unwilling or unable to perceive or understand; not having the faculty of discernment; destitute of intellectual light; unable or unwilling to understand or judge. PROSOPIAL: From Gk, Prosop meaning face & PILL.
Mixpress
Created by: fredini
Pronunciation: Mix-press
Sentence: I thought she liked me, but I must have mixpressed her.
Etymology: mixing +expression
Comments:
Today's definition was inspired by Cory Doctorow's short story "I, Row-Boat", where a sentient, and very sensitive Row-Boat has some difficulty reading a woman's facial expressions. See the full story in Overclocked. Thank you Cory! ~ James
MIENBLIND is very good- and far more cerebral than my entry. Good work, Ozziebob.
MaybeLater_x - 2008-08-19: 19:10:00
Visagenary is also a play on Imaginary, nay?
Today's definition was suggested by doctorow. Thank you doctorow. ~ James
ldikarev - 2012-09-06: 16:44:00
ldikarev - 2012-09-06: 16:45:00
Prosopagnosia -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia Prosopagnosia (Greek: "prosopon" = "face", "agnosia" = "not knowing") is a disorder of fa