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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Falrientism

protothor

Created by: protothor

Pronunciation: fall-ree-int-ism

Sentence: An expert of falrientism, even as the young boy in the back of the opposing car audited his middle finger, his smile led to unspoken compliments.

Etymology: From 'falsity' and 'charientism', a word that means basically the same thing.

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Pepsquawk

artr

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)

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Criticer

Matt99

Created by: Matt99

Pronunciation: Cr-it-ic-er

Sentence: The boss sure is an accomplished criticer. Also- The string of criticerally charged words left him feeling abused.

Etymology: Critic + er

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Snideypraise

Created by: TJayzz

Pronunciation: Sny-dee-pray-ze

Sentence: Rebecca thought she was a great boss, she didn't even realise by the way she encouraged her staff by mixing encouragement and insults in the same sentence, her staff could actually see right through her and knew all along that she was using the snideypraise method.

Etymology: Snidey(derogatory or mocking in an indirect way) + Praise(to express warm approval of) ORIGIN preiser Old French to prize, from Latin pretium 'price' = Snideypraise

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Irgonogatism

Created by: Zer22

Pronunciation: Ir-Go-Nog-A-Tism

Sentence: The irgonogatism tone in her voice made me feel unworthy.

Etymology:

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COMMENTS:

Etymology = Ignorance + Noggin(Head) + Tism. - Zer22, 2007-06-12: 14:35:00

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Meanager

Created by: pungineer

Pronunciation: Meanie + ger

Sentence: Tarquin pondered whilst refrying the fries, he was on a fascinating 'Work your way round the Deep South' US gap year, the Himalayas had been fully booked, unfortunately... yes absolutely he though to himself, yes the OED have really missed a trick there, because, right, Bubba, is quite mean, I mean you could call him a meanie even, and he's my manager, well it says so on his badge so, right, well, actually he should be called a Meanager, because that's absolutely so what he is! Maybe i will study classics at Oxford next year, I've certainly got the language skills he ruminated further as he scrapped the grits off the gumbo....

Etymology: Just like Tarquin said in the story Mean or Meanie + Manager = Meanager

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx When there was no crawdads, we ate dirt. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-06: 16:33:00

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Condemnagog

Created by: purpleartichokes

Pronunciation: kun-dem-ah-gog

Sentence: At the meeting, we counted six insults proffered by Frank, the condemnagog, including one subtle double-slam on the presenter's mentor.

Etymology: condemn, demagog

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COMMENTS:

How appropriate. This actually happened yesterday. - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-12: 05:20:00

wasn't magog a god of war as well? Even moooore appropriate. - galwaywegian, 2007-06-12: 06:24:00

petaj He went presentimental over the attack on his advisor. - petaj, 2007-06-12: 07:54:00

Love it! Really splendid. - Clayton, 2007-06-12: 08:30:00

Excellent! - ErWenn, 2007-06-13: 00:35:00

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Middleearth

Created by: nynaeve

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Egostrictpep

Created by: LindsayStar

Pronunciation: E-go-strick-pep

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Mortfortify

Created by: porsche

Pronunciation: mort/fort/i/fye

Sentence: The sales manager managed to mortfortify his team on a daily basis. He told them they were all stars, outperforming last years numbers to such a degree that he would hire more staff and thus reduce their bonuses

Etymology: mortify + fortify

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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