Vote for the best verboticism.

'Eat! Or you'll turn into a boneless chicken.'

DEFINITION: n., Cautionary advice provided by parents to their children, often makes no logical sense but carries enough emotional weight to affect the child's behavior. v. To warn of danger through the judicious use of exaggeration.

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Verboticisms

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Radmomition

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: rad MOM ish in

Sentence: Growing up in an Irish household,the 6 siblings were all raised on a solid diet of good old radmomition. This included an assorted mix of superstitions (spilling salt requires you to throw some over your left shoulder), Aesop's fables(remember that grasshopper and the ant?), lessons from the Bible(Thou shalt not lie about who ate the baking out of the freezer) and old wives' tales(if you tell a lie, your nose will grow), guaranteed to scare even the toughest know-it-all kid into submission. It was never really understood how putting a hat on the bed or opening an umbrella indoors would bring about bad luck; how stepping on a crack could break your mother's back or how licking a frosty metal fence would make your tongue stick to it. (Okay, that on was really true, as one brother found out the hard way)! Yet all these tools were used by their mother to great effectiveness. People marvelled at how well-behaved 6 kids could be out in public. But one look from their Mom's omnipresent eye could nail them to a couch for hours on end, quietly, without a hint of physical persuasion. Santa's elves were watching you just before Christmas time (I mean really, weren't they too busy making toys?); God would be mad to learn you did not put your coins on the offering plate in Church (like does he count it all?)If there was no known adage to affect a situation, she simply would make one up. It was not until they were into their teens that they discovered the Ice Cream Man going around the neighbourhood played his twinkly songs when he still had goodies left to sell. They had always been told that the music was a sign he was sold out. The irony was that all these siblings went through higher education, got responsible jobs and used exactly the same radmomition tactics on their own children and grandchildren...May you be half an hour in Heaven before the Devil knows you're dead!

Etymology: Radical (a person who has out there ideas or opinions;used of opinions and actions far beyond the norm) & Admonition (cautionary advice about something imminent;counsel in terms of someone's behavior;warn strongly; put on guard) & Mom (female parent)& Superstition (an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear;folklore;omens of good and bad luck)

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Oh MAN!!!!...You mean the ice cream man WASN'T sold out? - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 05:56:00

metrohumanx "Mom's omnipresent eye"....great turn of a phrase, Nosette. :) - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 08:11:00

Actual advice from an Alaskan native: Do NOT try to lick the glaciers. - Tigger, 2008-08-29: 10:34:00

Great "sentence!" :) - lumina, 2008-08-29: 15:46:00

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Guidunce

Created by: remistram

Pronunciation: ghy-duhns

Sentence: "Do as I say, not as I do" was the most important guidunce her Mum ever gave her.

Etymology: guidance + dunce

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COMMENTS:

great word - Jabberwocky, 2007-09-28: 12:06:00

Great Word! Accurate sentence in a lot of cases! - Scrumpy, 2007-09-28: 13:22:00

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Yarnstay

Created by: jimtastic

Pronunciation: Yarn (as in barn)...stay (as in may)

Sentence: The yarnstay of going blind from playing with one's own thingamabob or puffinstuff has been passed on from older generations to younger generations for centuries.

Etymology: yarn: a word only used by grandmothers relating a tale, esp. a long story of adventure or incredible happenings / stay: to suspend or delay (actions, proceedings, etc.).

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COMMENTS:

Great blend of Old English words. - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:07:00

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Mytherhood

Created by: Scrumpy

Pronunciation: mith-er-hood

Sentence: Little Timmy believed the mytherhoods that his parents told him. He was completely suprised when he grew up and wasn't blind.

Etymology: myth + motherhood/fatherhood

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COMMENTS:

Hehe!! Great word too! - purpleartichokes, 2007-09-28: 13:12:00

vixphilia Great word! :) - vixphilia, 2007-09-28: 16:53:00

Funny sentence, excellent word. Your "suburban legend" comment- also hysterical. - ScrabbledEgg, 2007-09-28: 18:02:00

Great word: bonza of a blend! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:03:00

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| Comments and Points

Wisdumb

Created by: scola

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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COMMENTS:

vixphilia Loved it! - vixphilia, 2007-09-28: 16:55:00

I love it,too! Potential to fill a whole library section. For starters. what about "The Wisdumb of Pol Pot" or "The Wisdumb Of Jim Jones" & the plethora of political leaders, preachers and philosophers! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:14:00

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| Comments and Points

Ultimadeupums

Created by: ScrabbledEgg

Pronunciation: uhlt-eye-mayd-uhp-uhm

Sentence: Son: "Daaaad!" (rolls his eyes to the back of his head at the latest suggestion) Dad: "Don't you roll your eyes at me! I'll roll your head across the floor!!" (a recent ultimadeupum) Son: stops rolling eyes,"Is that really true, Dad?" Dad: "No, son. I just made that junk up. Now stop asking questions before your spit runs out and your tongue shrivels up."

Etymology: ultimatum + I made up, as in "it's a parental right to make sh!t up sometimes when your little farm animal needs it."

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COMMENTS:

Great Word! I wondered where you were today. - Scrumpy, 2007-09-28: 18:32:00

Very creative. Great word. - OZZIEBOB, 2007-09-30: 18:05:00

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Poultrygeist

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: pol tree guyst

Sentence: Chickenita Bantama had a hard time persuading her youngest chick,Henny Youngman, to eat his feed. She finally had to resort to scare tactics and told him the tale of the poultrygeist. It was a scary ghost chicken that came after little chicks that did not eat up their supper. It worked for her, even if some thought it was fowl play...Happy Halloween!

Etymology: Poultry (a domesticated gallinaceous bird) & Poltergeist (a ghost that announces its presence with rapping and the creation of disorder)

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COMMENTS:

DrWebsterIII LOVING YOUR STORIES - DrWebsterIII, 2012-10-31: 11:24:00

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Pambea

Created by: ericsimmons39

Pronunciation: Pam-bee-a

Sentence: Mom and Dad keep telling me to eat my vegetables or I'll turn into a license plate. I'm so sick of all their pambea!

Etymology: Parental+ Advice+ Meaningless+ But+ Emotionally+ Affecting

| Comments and Points

Lieperbole

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: līpərbəlē

Sentence: ”If you make a face, it could get stuck that way”, ”Behave because Santa is watching”, ”This is for your own good”. Many parents use lieperbole to keep their children in line.

Etymology: lie (an intentionally false statement) + hyperbole (exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally)

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COMMENTS:

Very nice. For the win, in my opinion. - mchristof, 2011-06-12: 23:50:00

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Motherfunker

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: muhth/er/fuhngk/er

Sentence: His mom was a motherfunker. Being a motherfunker is a fast, easy way to get the behaviour expected. Unfortunately, when children are brought up with a motherfunker, when they are older, they do not trust anything their mom tells them.

Etymology: MOTHERFUNKER - from MOTHER + FUNK ( to frighten; state of great fright, or terror)

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COMMENTS:

And I'll bet she was a "bad motherfunker," "Shutcho mouth!" :) - lumina, 2008-08-29: 15:27:00

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-09-28: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-01-20: 00:25:00
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James