Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To adopt other people's words, phrases and linguistic stylings, and then try to make them your own by subtlety altering the syntax. n. A borrowed and butchered phrase
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.
Usurparize
Created by: arrrteest
Pronunciation: you-serp-ah-rize
Sentence: Edwin hated his former co-worker who was now his boss. It was Edwin's ideas and work that Carl would usurparize and claim to be his own. He would change a word here or there to protect the guilty, but in the end, Edwin knew it was his ideas that got Carl where he was.
Etymology: usurp + plagiarize
Snatchphrase
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /snach-freyz/
Sentence: The press was up in arms over the latest speech from Sillory Flintskin, for using a catchphrase of her rival, Flack Odrama, and turning it into a snatchphrase by stealing it and slightly rearranging the words. She had changed it from "Change we can believe in" to "We can believe in change."
Etymology: Play on the word 'Catchphrase'; Snatch - to seize by a sudden or hasty grasp (from Middle Dutch, snacken "to snatch, chatter") + Phrase - a brief utterance or remark (from Greek, phrazein "to express, tell")
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COMMENTS:
is Flack Mel's brother? - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-25: 14:02:00
Cheers, Tigger...this is just the primaries, can we face the rest of it?? - Nosila, 2008-04-25: 22:14:00
Clever!! - TJayzz, 2008-04-28: 04:31:00
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Plagiorate
Created by: Raquelle
Pronunciation: Play-jor-ate
Sentence: The oratory competition would be a breeze, thought Michelle, what with her recent discovery of the online archive of speech transcripts. She would simply choose a published one, plagiorate it to suit her topic and present with utmost confidence.
Etymology: Plagiarism + Orate = to plagiarise one's oration
Echotheft
Created by: rebelvin
Pronunciation: echo+theft
Sentence: Time and again, all he did was echothieve, appropriating ideas from others at the meeting, offering no ideas of his own.
Etymology: echo+theft
Termbezzle
Created by: Jamagra
Pronunciation: term/bezz'/el
Sentence: It isn't a puzzle, to those who can't juggle the fairer forms of speech. Why create a new phrase for what your candidate says? Termbezzle for words out of reach!
Etymology: termbezzle (v) - term + embezzle - could apply to stealing a word, a phrase, or an entire election! termbezzlement (n)
Spearaphrase
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: speer/ah/fraze
Sentence: To spearaphrase is a sure fire way to mangle it.
Etymology: spear + paraphrase
Kleptoclintonism
Created by: green
Pronunciation:
Sentence: 'Yes she can' is just one example of ballsy kleptoclintonism. Hillary thinks voters are so dumb we don't recognize her light-fingered mouth.
Etymology: kleptomaniac plus clinton
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COMMENTS:
You could have said five-fingered mouth. (5-fingered discount for those scratching their heads) - arrrteest, 2008-04-25: 19:07:00
Stealing wasn't Bills problem - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-26: 19:05:00
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Plagiareyes
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: diss sin tax
Sentence: Hillary & Barack had verbally jousted in every state so far that they had been campaigning. They each had spies in the other's camp and would get a drift of the other's speech ideas before that speech was given. In this way, one could scoop the opponent's theme and words and leave the second presenter scrambling to come up with something else. Invariably, each would dysyntacks the other's words to the point that they made nonsensical rhetoric, which confused voters even more. Although guilty of it herself, Hillary decided to play Barack at his own game and threw the word dysyntacks into her next speech. She had the last laugh when Barack got up and announced a plan to eliminate the Dissin' Tax from the federal budget!
Etymology: Dysfunctional (failing to serve an adjustive or conducive to adjustment purpose) + Syntax (the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences) + Attacks ( take the initiative and go on the offensive) + Tax (make a charge against or accuse)
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COMMENTS:
I guess I cancelled the wrong word...Should read Dysyntacks, Oops! - Nosila, 2008-04-25: 01:11:00
Great punchline on your story though! - Tigger, 2008-04-25: 02:29:00
Betcha Hilary would talk about "sintax" when Bill's around! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-26: 19:02:00
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Replistate
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: REP - li - stait
Sentence: When Angeline would hear an opinon or a phrase she admired she would shamelessly replistate it in conversations with others and would try to give the impression that it was an original representation.
Etymology: Blend of state and replicate.
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COMMENTS:
clever - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-25: 09:26:00
Let's face it, the primaries go by one replistate after another...Cheers, Mustang - Nosila, 2008-04-25: 22:16:00
Ohh, good one. - Tigger, 2008-04-26: 13:24:00
Nice word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-26: 18:54:00
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Malapropriate
Created by: Alchemist
Pronunciation: mal-uh-PRO-pree-ate
Sentence: Sensing an opening, McClain fixed his opponent with a glittering gaze. Overeager, he leaned over the podium and malapropriated the oft-misquoted Benson zinger, spouting, "You, sir, are no Dead Kennedy!"
Etymology: malaprop, appropriate
Comments:
OZZIEBOB - 2008-04-25: 18:41:00
Very formal political term. Love " The Butcher of Cavil."