Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
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
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:
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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
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Machamorphosis
Created by: TJayzz
Pronunciation: Mak-a-mor-foe-sis
Sentence: Budding inventor Ivor Patent-Pending, cleverly adapted his ceiling fan every winter by machamorphosis so that it blew out hot air, thus being able to dry his clothes when the weather was bad.
Etymology: Blend of Machine(an apparatus using mechanical power) and Metamorphosis(alter, to change completely)
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COMMENTS:
RIGHT-O TJ!...and with a string attached, it makes an EXCELLENT cat toy! - metrohumanx, 2009-03-09: 02:20:00
Machamorphosis....like a luvely flutterby! - metrohumanx, 2009-03-09: 02:25:00
good one - galwaywegian, 2009-03-09: 14:27:00
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Oooooooooohtensil
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: ooooooooooh ten sihl
Sentence: with one quick twist of the pliers and the addition of an electric motor. the kitchen utensil became an oooooooooooohtensil.
Etymology: utensil, oooooooooh
Mcgyvered
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: mig eye verd
Sentence: the newly mcgyvered blender also delivered perfect soups smoothies and ballistic missiles
Etymology: mcgyver
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COMMENTS:
Mcgood word - Nosila, 2010-09-20: 08:50:00
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Overtool
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: ōvərtoōl
Sentence: Hal likes to overtool every thing he does. He shaves in the morning with a machete that he sharpens and hones for 20 minutes. He mows his half-acre lawn with a combine after mixing cocktails in a Hobart 20-quart commercial mixer. He doesn’t see his numerous trips to the ER as an indication that he should change, just as a source of stories to share at the local hardware store.
Etymology: overkill (the amount by which destruction or the capacity for destruction exceeds what is necessary) + tool (a device or implement, esp. one held in the hand, used to carry out a particular function)
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COMMENTS:
Really neat concept ! - RightOnTheWin, 2010-09-21: 09:33:00
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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)
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
Twingineering
Created by: Banky
Pronunciation: /TWNJNRNK/
Sentence: Carol's use of the wiffleball bat, a feral cat, and 22 binder clips in her perverse twingineering experiment resulted in the summoning of no less than three ambulances to attend to the neighbor who was mistaken for a burglar.
Etymology: twin + engineering (as if you hadn't already figured that out...)
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COMMENTS:
terrific - Jabberwocky, 2009-03-09: 13:53:00
got a big laugh from the things you chose to twingineer. Excellent word! - silveryaspen, 2009-03-09: 14:15:00
Good word. - kateinkorea, 2009-03-09: 18:42:00
I twin-ge with laughter! - Nosila, 2009-03-09: 22:55:00
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Electrocutilize
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: ee lek tro CYU til ize
Sentence: Stumpy likes to electrocutilize power tools for more mundane purposes. Last year, he electrocutilized his belt sander to polish his shoes - while he was still wearing them. That's why his nickname is Stumpy.
Etymology: electrocute + utilize
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James
Thank YOU, James Gang...for the excellent illustrations! ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS! MetrohumanX
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!
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James