Verboticism: Modifail
DEFINITION: v. To unintentionally encourage bad behavior by responding to it in a manner that incites even worse behavior. n. A response designed to stop bad behavior, which paradoxically produces more of it.
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Exacerbloop
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: Eks-asz-SUR-bloop
Sentence: When Bob tried to smooth things over with a few words of "wisdom", he quickly found out that many an embarassing moment wouldn't be so embarassing if it only lasted a moment. The daftermath of his exacerblooper and exacerblooping, lead to a hellishing harangue from Roxie that lasted an hour.
Etymology: Blend of EXACERBate & BLOOP/er: an embarassing, silly, verbal error, usually during a serious moment.
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COMMENTS:
great sentence - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-20: 15:32:00
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Dissuascalation
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: dis-sway-sca-lay-shun
Sentence: Bobby, just ignore your brother. You know that when you tell him not to swear he just tells you to f&*$ #$%&&% )!!@^&$$. I know you mean well, but it's just a dissuascalation.
Etymology: dissuasion (discouragement) + escalation (increase, especially in the case of military escalation where every action is responded to with greater force)
Reverbirate
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: re-VERB-eye-rayt
Sentence: It seemed that whenever Cindy would try to motivate her husband, Charlie, to behave more civilly, her words would only reverbirate in some dark corner of his psyche and have the opposite effect with him responding in even more outrageous manner.
Etymology: blend of 'reverberate' (echo) and 'irate' (angry)
Pissoftomy
Created by: stefaniaus
Pronunciation: Pis soft omy
Sentence: It was clearly a case of pissoftomy with no means of redemption
Etymology:
Exacerbait
Created by: theCountess
Pronunciation: ex ass er bate
Sentence: Jill would constantly exacerbait Jack to complete exasperation; I think that's why he's now her ex.
Etymology: Exacerbate & Bait
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COMMENTS:
Good one - Nosila, 2010-07-21: 00:15:00
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Modifail
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: mod/i/fail
Sentence: As a teacher, I sometimes modifail when a student over reacts in a negative way to an attempted behaviour modifcation causing even further trouble in class.
Etymology: modify + fail
Disbehave
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: disbihāv
Sentence: When Barny thinks he is being nagged, he is sure to disbehave.
Etymology: dis (act or speak in a disrespectful way) + behave (fail to conduct oneself in a way that is acceptable to others; behave badly)
Goaddigrrr
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: gode/di/dur
Sentence: Sally's attempts at being a gold digger by encouraging her boyfriend to spend more money on her by telling him he reminded her of her favourite rock star backfired when she inadvertently became a goaddiggrr encouraging him instead to trash their apartment.
Etymology: goad + gold digger + grrr
Negatentional
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: neg-a-ten-shen-al
Sentence: As a teacher, Mary knew that negatentional responses were equal to posintentional ones to the kids who acted up to get her attention, although the results were disastrous for her classroom management. She soon realized that by nagging Kevin the same result would happen, Kevin would do the opposite of what she wanted to get a response from her. She decided to ignore the inappropriate behavior and reward him for proper behavior, just as she would her kindergarten children, in order for him to get posattention from her.
Etymology: negative: unfavorable or disconfirming + intentional: done deliberately + attention: notice or recognition. Teachers and trainers understand that to some children or animals negative attention is just as good as positive attention because it gives them the reward of recognition and response.
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COMMENTS:
Do I not lie it? Negatory! Good word. - Nosila, 2009-06-30: 17:31:00
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Scaradigm
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: skair - a - dime
Sentence: There was a scaradigm shift in Tony's behavior after Lisa tried to soothe him during the drive through the Catskills. The road was narrow and slippery and an antelope strolled out and started to play around in the headlights.
Etymology: scare (A general state of alarm), paradigm (A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality)
