Vote for the best verboticism.

'When I said that you're a loser, I meant it as a compliment.'

DEFINITION: v. To exercise power through the strategic use of personal insults, while pretending to offer encouragement. n. A leader who motivates people by insulting them.

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Verboticisms

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Hellnotivate

Created by: Katisms1

Pronunciation: hell-NO!-tive-ate

Sentence: Maintaining his hard-won reputation as a total S.O.B., the department manager would sneeringly "hellnotivate" his sales team into action with an endless stream of backhanded compliments.

Etymology: "(Oh) hell, no!" [Indignant reaction to the realization that the compliment one thought one just received was actually an insult.] + motivate

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Notivational

Created by: lumina

Pronunciation: no/ti/vay/shun/al

Sentence: June was so insecure in her position as team leader, that each year when it was her turn to "pump up" her team at the company's annual banquet, she would make sure to have the best notivational speech prepared. Armed with about 15 minutes of subliminal messages, she would also politely reject any ideas and suggestions with a smile, followed by a rolling of the eyes as she pointed to the next raised hand.

Etymology: Motivation: Stimulation of a salesperson's, dealer's, or employee's innate desires and personal objectives by a program of recognition. Notivational: The "antithesis" of the above. :)

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx subtle yet sweet....powerpoint to the people! - metrohumanx, 2008-08-05: 07:12:00

Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-08-06: 04:56:00

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Derogolittle

Created by: bubbos

Pronunciation: de-rog-o-lit-tle

Sentence: Nancy derogolittled Billy's inability to please her in bed. "At least you're incompetency is not the worst I've seen."

Etymology: Derogatory + Belittle

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Offenspire

Created by: Wordotwist

Pronunciation: Ouf en spire

Sentence: The offenspirational capabilities of our supervisor keeps the entire workforce at the stitching factory on tether hooks.Only yesterday she humiliaded Nancy with the most flattering comments about her eyes ; followed immediately by the advise on how she could deliver more acceptable results if she kept them on her stitch – rather on the nearby ‘slicks’ for most of the time !

Etymology: A combination of offend - as to offend through an insulting,demeaning etc remark; and inspire - through encouragement,praise etc.

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Scofficer

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: SCOFF-i-sir

Sentence: MEMO To: All Staff From: Scofficer Martin %%%%%%%% It is with great pleasure that I can tell you all about Mary Jane's excellent performance. Due to her repulsive smell brought on by inadequate personal hygiene, she has single handedly reduced the number of complaints submitted at the customer service desk to zero. Congratulations Mary Jane.

Etymology: scoff + officer + sir

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COMMENTS:

HA! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-12: 07:51:00

This one's excellent, too. So many good words today. - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 08:31:00

that mary jane must have nulfactory senses! - jadenguy, 2007-06-12: 10:02:00

Great sentence! - mplsbohemian, 2007-06-12: 14:00:00

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Winsult

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: win sult

Sentence: When Alxis wanted to motivate her top sales people, she used reverse psychology on them. She'd treat them so badly and abased them, that they would prove her wrong by outdoing themselves. Their success was their best revenge on her. Her winsult approach opened up a whole new career for her on the self-help book and lecture circuit.

Etymology: Win (be successful, attain a goal) & Insult (treat, mention, or speak to rudely)

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Demeanager

Created by: rikboyee

Pronunciation: duh-meen-aj-err

Sentence: he liked his job but he couldn't stand his new demeanager

Etymology: demean, manager

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COMMENTS:

petaj Was the demeanager a good derision-maker. - petaj, 2007-06-12: 08:00:00

Slurly you can't be supercilious. The demeanager was emcloyee of the smear. Don't friendsult his inelegance. - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 09:31:00

great word rikboyee - I'll definitely use this one - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-12: 10:57:00

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Provective

Created by: trunktickle

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Galvannihilate

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: gal-van-eye-a-late

Sentence: The staff were conflicted by their boss. "You fat &*!£s need to show me what ya got!" she would yell. After a team hug and a pep talk they'd rush back to their desks feeling excited. But there was also a lingering sense of humiliation. They'd been well and truly galvannihilated.

Etymology: galvanise (to stimulate or excite) + annihilate (to destroy)

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Mastard

Created by: Clayton

Pronunciation: MAS-terd

Sentence: H. Clancy Pettigrew was a mastard of insultimate penuriousadism. His misanthrapaciousness was rivaled only by his truculentertaining friendishness.

Etymology: master + bastard

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COMMENTS:

Interestingly, there is a rhetorical term for the art of insulting people without them knowing it: Charientism. Traditionally it means "the act of stating something objectionable in an agreeable manner." - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 08:25:00

petaj I love this sentence. It's a cornucopious assemblerection of tonguetwisting verbsmithery. - petaj, 2007-06-12: 08:41:00

I get it from years of reading Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty. Please don't tell anyone! - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 08:48:00

you're secret's safe with me. - jadenguy, 2007-06-12: 10:01:00

Nooooo! The only way three people can keep a secret is if two of me are already dead! Now I'll have to start reading other lunatics with undying affinities for pointless displays of frantic hippopotomonstrosesquipedalianism. - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 10:11:00

Wow! love the sentence - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-12: 15:00:00

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-06-12: 01:52:00
The second step in Timothy Johnson's GUST process is Understanding. And apparently, based on the number of definitions we received on this topic, everybody understands what it is like to have a bad boss. Today's definition was suggested by ohwtepph , suzanne, and remistram. Thank you ohwtepph, suzanne, remistram, and Timothy! ~ James

lumina - 2008-08-07: 13:49:00
Wow! So fun and an honor to have come up with the "winning" word. "I'd like to thank the Academy, my parents and of course Jesus." ha Thanks to the voters! (she says as the music starts playing and the tap dancing man with the hook from the gong show comes into view...)

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-01-06: 00:05:00
Today's definition was suggested by ohwtepph. Thank you ohwtepph. ~ James