Vote for the best verboticism.

'My nose hairs are scary!'

DEFINITION: n. A tool which has been re-purposed and is now being used (perhaps unsafely) to perform a completely different function. v. To use a tool for a different purpose than for which it was originally designed.

Create | Read

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.

Toastercoaster

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: toe/ster/coe/ster

Sentence: The toastercoaster is a wonderful invention for making toast and keeping your hot chocolate warm.

Etymology: toaster + coaster

| Comments and Points

Pimplement

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: pimp le ment

Sentence: Janice had finally hit on the next great thing. She modified her belt sander to plane off the zits and blackheads on her T-Zone. She called it a pimplement. It seemed like a great idea at the time, but was never picked up by any of those companies who mass market new inventions. It seems their doctors and lawyers took exception to removing a layer of dermis in a painful manner with a rusty tool from the garage. Go figure!

Etymology: Pimple (zit;acne) & Implement (tool,instrument)

| Comments and Points

Adapdeadly

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: ad ap ded lee

Sentence: Her array of adapdeadly tools included the cheesecuttercontraceptivewire, which took all risk of pregnancy and enjoyment out of the proceedings

Etymology: adapted, deadly

| Comments and Points

Insinkerjuicer

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: IN-sinker-juicer

Sentence: Darren, tired of cleaning the fibrous mess from his juicer, cobbled together a weird attachment for his garbage disposal unitt so that he could extract his favourite vegetable and fruit juices while the leftover bits simply disappeared down the sink. Being an ardent greenie, he also plumbed the outlet so that the watery mass of vegetable matter was washed into the compost bin.

Etymology: Insinkerator (garbage disposal) + juicer

| Comments and Points

Heterotoolio

Created by: Wampeter

Pronunciation: He-ter-o-tool-io

Sentence: "I cannot find the corkscrew. Watch out for thís screw instead, its my Heterotoolio!"

Etymology: Hetero: lat. different io: onomatopoesia

| Comments and Points

Bioactinomaniac

RightOnTheWin

Created by: RightOnTheWin

Pronunciation: {Bi-o\act-in-no\maine-knee-ack}

Sentence: He knew his obsession would overwhelm him as he encountered the octopus; he immediately allowed his bioactinomaniac habits to control him, and began cutting up the octopus with his finger nails.

Etymology: bio:living organisms. actino: having rays, radiating spines, or tentacles. maniac:one with an obession.

| Comments and Points

Tual

Created by: kateinkorea

Pronunciation: TYOO eul

Sentence: Many months after her boyfriend had run out on her, Sally realized that she had to clean out the basement of Dick’s tools. As she piled them by the garbage she suddenly started to see another picture. These tools might have other uses. It began with duct tape. She discovered that everything in her kitchen could be fixed, held together, or constructed with the help of duct tape. Soon she was cutting garlic with a utility knife; marinating meat in a paint tray; using crescent wrenches or hammers to tenderize meat; and a drill with a twirly contraption on the end as a mixer. All of these tools had dual functions. This huge tual box had proven its worthiness and found a place in her new kitchen-workshop.

Etymology: TOOL: DUAL:

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Sounds like the perfect word for Alton Brown (from the show 'Good Eats' - not sure if you've seen it, but he's always using items from the hardware store in the kitchen). - Tigger, 2009-03-09: 11:09:00

Smile-icious! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-09: 11:13:00

super - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-09: 13:54:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Overskilsaw

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: oh-ver-skil-saw

Sentence: Susan is not one to shy away from a challenge. Her father always told her, "if something doesn't work don't force it, get a bigger hammer". With that in mind Susan goes after her "need-to-be-trimmed" nails with her overskilsaw.

Etymology: overkill (an excess of what is required or suitable, as because of zeal or misjudgment) + Skilsaw (popular brand of circular saw)

| Comments and Points

Toolfoolery

Created by: mweinmann

Pronunciation: tool + fool +uree

Sentence: It is toolfoolery to think that you can use a rezorblade as a screwdriver, a wrench as a hammer or a chainsaw as a scissors. Injury can often occur and body parts can be broken, mangled or lost.

Etymology: Tool + Fool + Tomfoolery >> Tool (A device or process that is used to do some kind of work) Fool (a person who lacks good judgment) Tomfoolery (folly: foolish or senseless behavior)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Love the way it captures the way we go toolin' around. Excellent creation! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-09: 11:11:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Dimprovise

Created by: FreakyDeak

Pronunciation: Dimm-pro-vize

Sentence:

Etymology: Dim + Improvise

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

like it ! - galwaywegian, 2010-09-21: 03:22:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-03-09: 00:01:01
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2009-03-09: 02:27:00
Thank YOU, James Gang...for the excellent illustrations! ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS! MetrohumanX

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-03-09: 11:02:00
And thank you metrohumanx, for supplying so many wonderfully prickly ideas! ~ James

yellowbird - 2009-03-09: 20:52:00
Just the cartoon made me smile. No need to read the words today!

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-09-20: 00:53:00
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James