Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n., A feeling of discomfort, common while sitting on a plane or train, created by the sense that you are about to be decapitated by your fellow passengers who are tilting aggressively towards you. v. To sit in a very small space, which seems to be getting smaller.
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.
Cramsportation
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: kramz por TAY shun
Sentence: Packer didn't know what was a worse or more crowded way of getting to his relatives' house for the holidays, StuffWest Airlines or the JamTrak train. He considered driving the ten hours just to cut down on the physical and olfactory invasion to his personal space. Finally, his family decided on having their Thanksgiving dinner by computer conferencing. It was cheaper, and more importantly, it cut down on disputes and drama!
Etymology: cram + transportation
Encroachaphobia
Created by: Redrover
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Ralph was so freaked when he flew coach when the passenger in front of him reclined his seat that he was forced to spend the money and fly first class.
Etymology: encroach - to trespass upon the property, domain, or rights of another, esp. stealthily or by gradual advances; phobia - a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it
Boeingconstrictor
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: bow/ing/constrictor
Sentence: I got swallowed up by a boeingconstrictor on my last flight.
Etymology: boeing aircraft + boa constrictor
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COMMENTS:
Hilarious! lol! - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 18:38:00
great wordplay. There's also the tight constricted feeling for your etymology too. - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 21:45:00
Good one, bookowl! If the passenger is not sitting on the aisle, would that make them a window viper? - Nosila, 2008-01-29: 22:48:00
Great word for all the planes with their cramped seating ... Right on! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-29: 23:57:00
Clever & funny! Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-30: 16:14:00
Good one! - chaiandallthatjazz, 2008-01-31: 10:55:00
Did you hear about the man who crossed a parrot with a boa constrictor. He didn't know what he got, but believe me, when it talks-he listens. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-02-05: 19:44:00
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Economisery
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /i-kon-uh-miz'-uh-ree/
Sentence: Before the technology stock bubble burst, Richard had always flown first-class, but now, crammed into the back with the rest of the average Joe's, he was nearly overcome with economisery, and recumbentrauma caused by the seat in front of him reclining back so suddenly that he dropped his meager ration of peanuts, and couldn't bend down to retrieve them.
Etymology: economy - Economy class; the cheapest class of travel accomodations (from Greek, oikonomíā "household") + misery - wretchedness of condition or circumstances (from Latin, miseria, equiv. to miser "wretched")
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COMMENTS:
clever blend! - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 22:23:00
Really brings out the miserly feelings in this definitions! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-29: 23:59:00
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Spacemodicum
Created by: jajsr
Pronunciation: sp-a-s-mow-di-come
Sentence: Unaware of her actions, Beth's tiredness make John experience some first class spacemodicum.
Etymology:
Ampak
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: ampak
Sentence: As Monday morning approaches Jason dreads his trip on the Ampak commuter train. Never one to enjoy crowds, this rolling sardine can is no fun. He*s torn as to which is worse, standing or sitting. If he stands he is treated to breakfast on the breath of at least 6 fellow commuters, seated he gets vestiges of last night*s dinner. Phwew!
Etymology: Amtrak (a federal passenger railroad service in the U.S.) + packed (cram a large number of things into a container or space)
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COMMENTS:
Clever word that so effectively conveys the definition! - splendiction, 2010-04-19: 21:43:00
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Rampantransit
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ram pan tranzit
Sentence: Ricky often wondered, just for the halibut, how much deeper a sleep the passenger in front could possibly get by going 3 inches back to encroach on his tiny space???
Etymology: rampant (uncontrolled) & transit (passage or journey)
Seatraction
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: seet/trak/shun
Sentence: Whenever John flew and had to sit in the middle isle, Murphy's Law of seatraction always seemed to come into play. On either side of him twin 300 pounders always made him feel cozy and crushed for the full six hour flight.
Etymology: seat + contraction
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COMMENTS:
Interesting combo! - silveryaspen, 2008-01-29: 09:12:00
I first thought of your word as seat attraction which would make sense if the seat on either side got closer - great word - Jabberwocky, 2008-01-29: 13:28:00
good word! twelve hours in traction after the flight to straighten out the limbs would do the trick... but not with the 300 pounders as the weights! - bananabender, 2008-01-29: 22:21:00
John - Go by sea next time ! good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-01-30: 16:17:00
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Claustairphobia
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: klost aer foby ya
Sentence: Kenny travelled the world by air. YEMEN, he knew the airline FRONTIER, from EASTERN to WESTJET and from CANADANORTH to the SOUTHWEST and was a very CONTINENTAL passenger. He had flown on planes from the DELTA to a LOT of countries. He'd been in the SAS, because he was BRITISH and knew the AER LINGUS fluently from each jet he'd been on. He could say ALOHA, JAL come back now,and OMAN and other words of OLYMPIC proportions. He knew which airlines served LUXAIRious meals; where the AEROFLOTation devices were;and who had VARIGreat service. One thing he hated about all airlines were the reclining seats. The right hand apparently had not known what the LUFTHANSA was thinking when they invented them. EL AL they did was cause claustairphobia for the passenger behind. Being no VIRGIN to travel, he honestly did not know how reclining your seat just 3 inches could give you a more restful sleep. He thought all passengers who hated this should stand UNITED against the airlines in solid AIRity. He had just watched "QANTAS OF Solace" on the air movie and did not know how anyone could sleep through that...
Etymology: Claustrophobia (a morbid fear of being closed in a confined space) & Air (travel via aircraft)
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COMMENTS:
FORMIDABLE! I don't think you missed a single carrier. I'm sure they miss you. - metrohumanx, 2008-11-20: 02:17:00
Has that special air flair! Your word deserves an Air Medal. - silveryaspen, 2008-11-20: 07:47:00
Cheers...always wanted to be an Air Apparent! - Nosila, 2008-11-20: 18:54:00
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Claustrauma
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: closs-TRAH-mah
Sentence: The instant the doors close before flight, Delbert always experiences some degree of claustrauma, with unreasonable fear that the plane may crash, and the guy just behind him chanting in unrecognizeable dialect does little to ease his fears.
Etymology: Blend of 'claustrophobia' (an abnormal fear of being in enclosed or narrow places), and 'trauma' (an experience that produces psychological injury or pain)
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by gemmgemms. Thank you gemmgemms. ~ James
silveryaspen - 2008-01-29: 09:30:00
Evocative cartoon ... crushed-people like sardines in a tinned-canny airplane with that overpowering fishy smell closing in on everything! Very clever!
Hey Silveryaspen, Thanks for the kind words. Smells like croosht shoup ~ James
Excellent word. Makes me wonder who that was and what they were chanting.
Today's definition was suggested by gemmgemms. Thank you gemmgemms. ~ James