Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
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.
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)
Scofficer
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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Mockliment
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /ˈmɑkləˌmɛnt/
Sentence: It wasn't the fact that he mocklimented everyone that was so annoying; it was the fact that he seemed to think everyone was too stupid to notice.
Etymology: From compliment + mock
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COMMENTS:
good one ErWenn - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-12: 12:04:00
son does that to me all the time. At least now I've got a word for it! Thanx! - administraitor, 2007-06-12: 15:08:00
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Insultivate
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: in sul tiv ayt
Sentence: When Joan Collins played Alexis Carrington on "Dynasty", she regularly would insultivate the other actors. They were sure that the vixenish Joan was using reverse psychology on them to improve their performances and make their reactions to her onscreen more lifelike. They never did realize that Joan relished abusing them, thanks mainly to another Collins always in her dressing room...frequent stiffeners of Tom Collins.
Etymology: Insult (to treat, mention, or speak to rudely) & Motivate (to give an incentive for action)
Trollmodel
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: trole model
Sentence: Alexis was the ultimate trollmodel. She thought if you stimulated people by making them angry, intimidated and resentful that she could manoeuver them to her whims. She apparently had never heard the adage, "Do unto others..."
Etymology: Troll (Scandinavian creature, human-like, lives under bridges or in caves...can be nice outwardly, but can be deceptive, thieving and untrustable) & Model (someone worthy of imitation) & WordPlayon Role Model (someone to set good example; to be copied)
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
Pepsquawk
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: pepskwôk
Sentence: Week after week the manager would deliver a pepsqualk to her staff. Her crew’s response has been to adopt a hedgehog as a mascot. They told her that a hedgehog is an industrious critter that will ”dig in” and defend its home. The fact is that the picture they posted for motivation is actually a shrew.
Etymology: pep talk (a talk intended to make someone feel more courageous or enthusiastic) + squawk (make a loud, harsh noise)
Deniagrate
Created by: administraitor
Pronunciation: deny-a-grate
Sentence: Her manager's constant efforts to deniagrate her performance finally led Carol to implement her exit strategy.
Etymology: denial + denigrate
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COMMENTS:
your name, administraitor, would have worked well with this definition - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-12: 16:29:00
What a difference a vowel makes! - administraitor, 2007-06-12: 16:32:00
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Supersnide
Created by: kendriveset
Pronunciation: su-per-snide
Sentence: Joseph thought that he was doing a great job, until the supersnide Nancy congratulated him with verbal punishment.
Etymology: super + snide
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COMMENTS:
supersniderrific! - Nosila, 2010-01-07: 01:01:00
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Comments:
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...)
Today's definition was suggested by ohwtepph. Thank you ohwtepph. ~ James