Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To engage in an emotional debate over the small, yet somehow surprisingly important details in a simple game. n. An emotional game player
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.
Scrabblesquabble
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: scrab-bel-skwab-bel
Sentence: Family game night turned ugly when Ted began a Scrabblesquabble about the word "verbotomy." When his sister protested, Dad looked it up in Webster's; however, it wasn't there. Ted insisted that he saw the word online somewhere. Nettie wasn't sure if being online qualified it as a real word or just something made up. Ted held his ground and insisted that because he saw it online, it must be a real word because they wouldn't put things that aren't real online. Mom suggested that perhaps Ted was confusing two words and somehow mashing them together. As Ted's belligerence grew louder, Nettie stormed off and pouted, Mom retreated to the kitchen and little Rosie began to cry and throw blocks at the dog from her playpen. Dad had enough. He finally shut the whole thing down and sent everyone to bed. The next week they tried something a little less controversial like Trivial Pursuit.
Etymology: Scrabble: word building board game where questionable words can be challenged by an opponent and settled by proving the validity of the word using a dictionary + squabble: a noisy quarrel, usually over a trivial matter
Scrabblesquabble
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: skrab-uhl-skwob-uhl
Sentence: Everybody loves that James now has an electronic edition of Scrabble. Nobody has to engage in a scrabblesquabble when they play him. When he tries to play a word that he "knows" is right, he can scream at the computer all he wants and nobody but neighbors within three blocks have to hear it.
Etymology: Scrabble (Board game where you create interconnected words) + squabble (to engage in a petty quarrel)
Contesty
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: con-test-ee
Sentence: Jez was a REALLY competitive player. If he sensed his opponent wasn't paying sufficient attention he would get all contesty and yell, "This is NOT just a GAME!"
Etymology: contest (a formal game in which two or more players compete and attempt to win) + testy (irritably impatient, touchy)
Verbuse
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: ver BUSE'
Sentence: I like playing games with my brother, except when he ends up getting upset over my interpretation of the rules and subjects me to the most terrible verbuse. I say he's too rigid, then he says the way I'm doing it is "incorrect" and "inaccurate." And don't ever say to him, "Who cares about these little details; it's JUST A GAME," because that's when he begins sputtering and spouting some REALLY verbusive language. Last time, it was, "Oh, I forgot, you're the 'good-looking' brother [he still hasn't forgotten THAT remark from Aunt Sophie, 35 years later], but that's okay, because I'm the SMART one!"
Etymology: verbose + verbal abuse
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COMMENTS:
Very apt word...good one! - Nosila, 2009-10-15: 18:20:00
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Youcantrum
Created by: playdohheart
Pronunciation: you-cant-trum
Sentence: It is impossible to own all four railroads in Monopoly without someone throwing a youcantrum.
Etymology: "You can't (do that)!" + tantrum
Verbotomayhem
Created by: Alchemist
Pronunciation: ver-bah-toe-MAY-hem
Sentence: After Quentin challenged Sally's 8-letter word, last night's weekly Boggle game quickly descended into full blown verbotomayhem. I am still stepping on those little darn cubes.
Etymology: from the greek "verbomaehemnae", meaning to throw the pieces when mad...
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COMMENTS:
Is this the opposite of balderdashaster? Have you played Balderdash - it's the opposite of verbotomy - players make up definitions. - petaj, 2007-03-28: 05:48:00
there are some who say making up definitions is also part of verbotomy :-) - Alchemist, 2007-03-28: 07:42:00
I thought Balderdash was a Flemish head-shaving race. - purpleartichokes, 2007-03-28: 08:06:00
I thought "balderdash" was a euphemism (think poppycock), or that old Nintendo game based on the joys of mining. - Bulletchewer, 2007-03-28: 09:25:00
^^ That's probably why the make-up-definitions game is called Balderdash. - Discoveria, 2007-03-28: 13:05:00
Give the detective a medal. Two medals. Next we'll be told how "boulder" is the pun in the Nintendo game... - Bulletchewer, 2007-03-28: 17:56:00
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Ludocrous
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: loo doh krus
Sentence: People in the ping pong world were getting tired of his ludocrous behaviour as he screamed "You can not be serious!" everytime he missed the table.
Etymology: ludicrous ludo
Cheatedebate
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: CHEE-te-de-BATE
Sentence: Harry was a renowned cheatedebater - having a fastidious nature there was no sign of a nittygritimpairment.
Etymology: cheat (an action that often causes game players to pore over the rule book) + heated (high level of emotion) + debate (argue)
Pettyfours
Created by: suzanne
Pronunciation: pet-ee-foh-rs
Sentence: his pettyfours made his partner cringe and wish that the game of tic tac toe would be soon over.
Etymology: petty- from french petit meaning small
Rulegality
Created by: coachnomad23
Pronunciation: Rule-legality
Sentence: The little child was always so picky about the rulegalities of the game so much that it made others not want to play any more.
Etymology:
Comments:
Glad to see a definition coming out of the cheatedebate that went on the other day :-)
Bulletchewer - 2007-03-28: 06:26:00
Give a brother some credit for that one.
Today's definition was suggested by Alchemist. Thank you Alchemist. ~ James