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.
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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Euphoraptor
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: eu-for-rap-tor
Sentence: Janet walked out into the beautiful spring air, taking in the delicate scent of cherry blossoms and feeling the warm sunshine. She stood there smiling, forgetting her winter depression and feeling hopeful for the first time in months. Suddenly Andrew, the euphoraptor, began to shout, "Where's my damn allergy pills?" "Where's my socks?" "Where's my damn chain saw?" "I've decided to cut that cherry tree down so I can put my bacci court there." Janet looked at the picked carcass of her happy mood and sighed, "Your pills are in the cabinet, your socks are in the drawer, and I sold your chain saw last week at the yard sale for 15 bucks."
Etymology: Euphoria: state of well-being and happiness + Raptor: one who seizes by force, rape; a bird of prey
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COMMENTS:
Your verbotomy euphoraptor, and your sentence, especially the words 'leaves behind the picked carcass of her happy mood' is SUPERB descriptive and metaphorical writing! - silveryaspen, 2009-04-21: 09:38:00
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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)
Maggoteer
Created by: readerwriter
Pronunciation: meh-gah-teer
Sentence: If only Dart could find two more people to join him in his cause of whining, grumbling and complaining about every rotten thing then they could call themselves The Three Maggoteers.
Etymology: Using MAGGOT, a larvae that feeds on diseased or dead cells + a play on "The Three Muskateers," a French novel about a young hero named d'Artangan by Alexandre Dumas, pere
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COMMENTS:
I would hate to run into three Maggoteers types at one time! I really enjoy everyone's words and what they come up with in sentences! Very creative :) - abrakadeborah, 2009-04-22: 06:41:00
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Pessimonger
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: pes-uh-muhng-ger
Sentence: Elliot is such a pessimonger that if you were to give him a winning lottery ticket, he would complain that too much paper is wasted producing the tickets.
Etymology: pessimist (person who expects bad outcome) + monger (dealer in goods)
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
Snipercritical
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: SNY per CRIT ih cul
Sentence: My aunt Prissy is usually looking for mistakes or flaws, real or imagined, so she can complain about how she could have done something so much better, if someone had only asked her. And she somehow manages to blame every problem of her own on someone else. Even though she's been married five times, every one of the divorces was the man's fault. According to her, her adult children don't talk to her because "they are ungrateful and don't appreciate all the sacrifices I've made for them." More likely, her husbands left and most of the people in the family avoid her because she is so snipercitical, always waiting to take potshots from the sidelines.
Etymology: sniper + hypercritical
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COMMENTS:
ah, the relationship assassin... - Nosila, 2010-11-04: 01:35:00
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Optimissed
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: ohp tim issst
Sentence: the moodpecker is one of the lesser spotted species of optimissed
Etymology: optimist, missed
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COMMENTS:
clever - mweinmann, 2009-04-21: 09:33:00
Short, right to the point ... both the sentence and your word ... Outstanding! - silveryaspen, 2009-04-21: 09:49:00
Cute and clever. - Mustang, 2009-04-21: 17:22:00
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Woewallow
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: wōwälō
Sentence: Willy watches the news with great interest. He loves to woewallow. If there is bad news he wants to share it. Disasters, tragedies, agony? A new study that finds your favorite food as a possible cancer cause. He's there! He firmly believes that every silver lining is wrapped in a big beautiful grey cloud.
Etymology: woe (great sorrow or distress) + wallow ( indulge in an unrestrained way)
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COMMENTS:
You met my dad? - wayoffcenter, 2009-04-21: 07:35:00
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Comments:
Verbotomy - 2009-04-21: 00:01:01
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!
Verbotomy - 2009-04-21: 13:27:00
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~