Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
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Scarefication
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: skair-uh-fi-key-shuhn
Sentence: Mother hen believes in the use of scarefication to keep her chicks in line. A little lie here, an exaggeration there, all pecked into their little psyches until they are afraid to do anything wrong.
Etymology: scare (to fill, especially suddenly, with fear or terror; frighten; alarm) Scarification (scratching, etching, burning/branding, or superficially cutting designs, pictures, or words into the skin as a permanent body modification)
Lieperbole
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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Whopperstopper
Created by: kerryb
Pronunciation: wopur stopur
Sentence: My parents never failed to verbalize any number of whopperstoppers in order to curb my ongoing misbehavior.
Etymology: whopper: A ridiculous and ostentatiously bodacious lie or misnomer that would violate the bounds of belief beyond any child older than 5! stopper: A metaphorical line in the sand that is designed to cease unwanted action or behavior.
Scoldoltery
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: skohl-DOHLT-uh-ree
Sentence: Bob's attempt to use the story of "The Three Bears" as a lesson of - thou shal not steal- quickly became another sad saga of scoldoltery for his children.
Etymology: Blend of SCOLD: chide, reprimand, reprove; DOLT: a fool, nitwit & ERY: state or condition with a hint of ADULT " parents" & ADULTERY: cheating; emotion; guilt.
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COMMENTS:
Don't make me count to three!.....one.....twwo...... - metrohumanx, 2008-08-29: 05:58:00
nice - Jabberwocky, 2008-08-29: 11:49:00
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Imparable
Created by: porsche
Pronunciation: im/par/a/bul
Sentence: A typical imparable would be the story of the bogeyman
Etymology: impair (damage) + parable (short story used to teach a lesson)
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
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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Humumbug
Created by: vixphilia
Pronunciation: hum-MUM-bug
Sentence: Mum was feding me her usual humumbug: "If you keep making ugly faces,it will freeze like that!"
Etymology: Humbug: pretentious or silly talk Mum: Mother
Materbole
Created by: mchristof
Pronunciation: muh-ter-bol-ee
Sentence: Saying I'll turn into a boneless chicken is such a materbole.
Etymology: Hyperbole - an exaggeration Maternal - having to do with the mother
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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Veilacide
Created by: Rhyme79
Pronunciation: vale-uh-syde
Sentence: My dad was really good at veilacide when we were kids. He had us believing all sorts of things that we now know are utter piffle. For example, he told us that if we didn't brush our teeth they would fall out and fly away to find an old person that needed them! For a while I actually believed that eating my crusts would give me curly hair, so I didn't eat them because I wanted straight hair!
Etymology: An anagram of lie-advice. Veil, ( to cover or conceal, a pretense)+ cide, (latin - killer or the act of killing, in this case 'the truth'!)+ the left over 'a' in the middle = veilacide.
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COMMENTS:
funny story - DrWebsterIII, 2012-11-03: 04:55:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James