Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To ignore anything positive and focus your energy on problems, disasters, and whatever bad news you find. n. A person who searches for, and feeds on, other people's weaknesses, failures and mistakes.
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.
Negaferret
Created by: fabdiva
Pronunciation: neg-ah-fair-et
Sentence: It did not go unnoticed that Cindy spent an inordinate amount of time at the emergency desk. Only a negaferret would volunteer on their rostered day off.
Etymology: negative - not optimistic. Harmful. ferret - to look around in search of something
Attackonist
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: at tak on ist
Sentence: She just could not help herself. Dee Strucktiff was an attackonist. Nothing pleased her and she was not shy in expressing her negative viewpoint to anyone. The staff in shops and restaurants dreaded her patronage. She was not shy about expressing her dismay at the high prices, inferior quality of goods and poor, careless service. Things were always better in the old days. She was so beligerent, she even drove away her only daughter, Joy, into the arms of a man she thought unworthy of her, just to escape her ranting mother. Joy's husband, Howie Hertz, was a gentle, kindly man who took pity on poor Joy. Dee did not even realize there was no Joy in her life anymore until it was too late and the pair had eloped. Dee fed off bad news like a vulture on carrion. Her family motto was: "She who thinks the worst is never disappointed!"
Etymology: Attack (an offensive move in a sport or game ;strong criticism; attack someone physically or emotionally) & Antagonist (indicating opposition or resistance;incapable of harmonious association;arousing animosity or hostility;opposing or neutralizing or mitigating an effect by contrary action)
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COMMENTS:
Attackonists are people we avoid like the plague. How well you portrayed them in your sentence and last line! - silveryaspen, 2009-04-21: 09:31:00
Nosila, Howie Hertz was powerless to help Joy from Dee Strucktiff's Attackonist attitude~ You are so very creative :) I ALWAYS enjoy reading your sentences!!!! Great job! - abrakadeborah, 2009-04-22: 05:43:00
Cheers, silvery & deb...love your contributions as well...may the creative force always be with you both! - Nosila, 2009-04-25: 22:07:00
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Negactivity
Created by: EpicButCrazy
Pronunciation: Neg-ack-tiv-it-ee
Sentence: He's so full of negactivity, even when he won the huge competition all he could think about was that they misspelled his name on the trophy!
Etymology: negativity + activity = to be quite actively negative
Lugubriate
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: loo-GOO-bree-ayt
Sentence: Even on the sunniest days and rosiest occasions Bertha could be counted upon to lugubriate, searching through all the days events and news for the downbeat and negative offerings.
Etymology: 'Lugubrious' (mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp. in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner) with suffix '-ate' (As the ending of a verb, it means to make, to cause, to act, etc.; as, to propitiate (to make propitious); to animate (to give life to)
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COMMENTS:
Saying lugubriate has harsh sounds just like these hard people! Easy to remember, spot on the definition ... another Exceptional Great Create! - silveryaspen, 2009-04-21: 09:47:00
like the GOO-d word play in your pronunciation, too! - silveryaspen, 2009-04-22: 22:16:00
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Depressimist
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: de pres sim ist
Sentence: Woody was a pileated woodpecker and a depressimist. Nothing could please him. He even hated his species' name...it made him sound like he always had piles. He wood birch about his troubles all day, but the other birds soon learned to twitter him for his negative talk. One brave, elder Robin finally had enough and told him, "Woody, spruce yourself up and quit pining, yew son of a beech. We know that your bark is worse than your bite. All this depressimism will alder you permanently fir sure, unless you learn to spruce up your outlook. Be happy yew are free and can fly. If yew don't like it here, yew can pack your trunk and fly away. Yew wood be less bore-ing and a lot more poplar, if yew quit making such an ash of yourself...oakay?!"
Etymology: Depress (lower someone's spirits; make downhearted;lessen the activity or force of) & Pessimist (a person who expects the worst)
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COMMENTS:
Perfect word - it should have an entry in Webster's! - karenanne, 2010-11-03: 22:34:00
I voted for yours, but it turned out I hadn't been logged in. Well, you have the points, at least! - karenanne, 2010-11-04: 18:00:00
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Misfortunehunter
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: mis fort tyoon hun ter
Sentence: Lucky Lucy was not only a fortune hunter, she was also a misfortunehunter. Her specialty was finding old guys who wanted sweet young things. She always made sure they were rich, sickly, put her in the will and were without relatives. Once she got her hooks into them, it was only a matter of time before they keeled and she collected. Her black widow career paid well until the last old guy outlived her...
Etymology: Misfortune (unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event;an unfortunate state resulting from unfavorable outcomes) & Fortune Hunter (a person who seeks wealth through marriage)
Bleakbeaker
Created by: abrakadeborah
Pronunciation: bleak-beak-er
Sentence: Cardinella was such a sad old fella he would bleak around to bring everybody down. To him there was never a sunny or happy day...he managed to find always a spot of gray...as he would "bleakbeaker" to make everyone weaker! Draining out any happiness... trying to make others feel like a mell of a hess.
Etymology: Bleak:Providing no encouragement; depressing,gloomy and somber. Beak:Slang a person's nose or the projecting structure forming the mandibles of a bird, especially one that is strong, sharp, and useful in striking and tearing. Bleaker:Slang for a negative person that noses into peoples lives with a striking negativity to tear down their happy moods.
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COMMENTS:
luv your spoonerism! - silveryaspen, 2009-04-22: 22:26:00
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Lugubriate
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: loo-GOO-bree-ayt
Sentence: Even on the sunniest days and rosiest occasions Esmerelda could be counted upon to lugubriate, searching through all the days events and news for the downbeat and negative offerings.
Etymology: Blend of 'Lugubrious' (mournful, dismal, or gloomy, esp. in an affected, exaggerated, or unrelieved manner) with suffix '-ate' (As the ending of a verb, it means to make, to cause, to act, etc.; as, to propitiate (to make propitious); to animate (to give life to)
Shadyfraud
Created by: idavecook
Pronunciation: Shade-E FROD
Sentence: Steven is scuh a shadyfraud he always laughs at me when I spill scalding coffee all over my keyboard.
Etymology: Schadenfreude. God love the Germans
Sinnic
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sin nik
Sentence: Woody was a sinnic in the worst sense of the word. If your actions did not benefit him directly, he thought you had no business being on the planet!
Etymology: Sin (commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake) & Cynic (someone who is critical of the motives of others)
Comments:
Today's definition was inspired by one of my favorite university professors who would respond to complainers with what he said was an old Japanese proverb -- "In among the cherry blossoms, the woodpecker hunts for a dead tree." ~ James
silveryaspen - 2009-04-21: 01:43:00
Like today's definition and cartoon, that Japanese proverb, provides plenty of food for thought .... naughty knotty thoughts ... until I want to thought naught about it any more!
silveryaspen - 2009-04-21: 09:56:00
This thought provoking definition and cartoon certainly inspired every one today! Kudos to the professor and James and all the verbotomists who played today. All are terrific sentences and verbotomies, today.
readerwriter - 2009-04-21: 10:33:00
Do I live in the wrong hemisphere or does my day begin too late???? Either that, or you all are up past midnight EST! Fun word today to play with. How you do it, James, I will never know...you are an artiste!
Thank you silvery and readerwriter. Fortunately, there not a lot of woodpeckers among us, but apparently there are a lot of night owls. ~ James
abrakadeborah - 2009-04-22: 06:03:00
This word and cartoon today was very descriptive! I LOVE the old Japanese proverb you added "In among the cherry blossoms, the woodpecker hunts for a dead tree." :) I have known a FEW toxic people like this in my life~