Verboticisms

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: gift hors

Sentence: It had become a tradition at Christmas as much as decorating the tree and putting up lights. It meant Mother was coming to stay for the holidays and although we loved her dearly and looked forward to seeing her, we had to dig out that painting she had given us many years ago and hang it over the fireplace. It stayed the rest of the yhear in the attic. That's because it was painted on black velvet, with glow-in-the-dark paints, framed inside a gaudy rococco gilt frame. Yes, being his #1 fan, Mother had bought us a portrait of Elvis. Wearing a white jumpsuit, sneering into the microphone in his hand and tilting his pelvis our way! You could push a button at the bottom of the frame and tinny music of him singing would belt out. Our friends who visited over the years hooted and hollered at the tacky image. Neighbours would make the pilgrimmage each year to see The King. He was a gifthoarse that made people laugh and sing along. We always said we would pull him out for Mother's visit, so as not to hurt her feelings, but one of these years old age would overtake her and we would no longer be obligated to carry on the charade. It was then that we realized that the song he sang from the portrait, "I'll have a Blue Christmas without you" would become very poignant to us.

Etymology: gift (a present, something given) & hoarse (deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion) & old saying: "Never look a gift horse in the mouth" old proverb which means don't question how you acquired something or what it cost. The advice given is be grateful for your good fortune and don't look for more by examining it to assess its value.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Awwww. How moving. Nice work, Lady. - metrohumanx, 2008-12-16: 02:40:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: juhnk-re-duks

Sentence: Nathan employed a sneaky program of junkredux wherein he would put trashy gifts on prominent display when the givers would visit, the ghastly dragon head lamp his mother had given him for Christmas being the most notable example.

Etymology: Blend of 'Junk'(n. something of poor quality : trash) and 'redux' (adj brought back —used postpositively)

| Comments and Points

Created by: metrohumanx

Pronunciation: rez-ure-REG-ahl-ee-uh

Sentence: Babs and Jake always greeted the holidays with excitement and dread. With extended family coming to visit, these reunions often degenerated into verbal slug fests. Babs would prepare the mandatory dishes, and Jake's job was to break out the RESURREGALIA...those tacky gifts and mementoes which would have been endearing if they weren't SO ugly and tasteless. Jake was especially fond of Aunt Lydia's "Sceptre of Authority"- a self-contained toilet accesory with disturbingly phallic qualities which kept everyone laughing well into the wee hours. Bottoms up!

Etymology: RESURREct+reGALIA=RESURREGALIA.........RESURRECT:to bring to view, attention, or use again,to raise from the dead;back-formation from resurrection-1772......REGALIA:: the emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royalty,decorations or insignia,special dress or trappings;Medieval Latin, from Latin, neuter plural of regalis-1540

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Re(as)suringly regal resurrection complete with elegant use of Latin. Very nice! - dochanne, 2008-12-16: 03:00:00

Brings back so many memories. I like it. - Mustang, 2008-12-16: 21:00:00

Good word...been there done that! - Nosila, 2008-12-16: 22:16:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: SHUF + l + gift

Sentence: Thurman had perfected the art of shufflegift by keeping hideous shirts and other clothing items in the laundry hamper and decorating an ugly lamp as a coat hanger.

Etymology: Shuffle = to move around from place to place + gift.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

like it - Jabberwocky, 2007-12-12: 13:23:00

Very clever! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-12-12: 20:03:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Created by: purpleartichokes

Pronunciation: dis-play-ah-way

Sentence: Every year, Mom gives me a displayaway or closet deposit for Christmas, which is why my good clothes and trinkets are now stacked throughout my bedroom.

Etymology: display, away

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Quite clever. Good one. - Tigger, 2007-12-16: 16:36:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Created by: Tigger

Pronunciation: /stoh-men'-toh/

Sentence: Reluctantly, Carlos pulled out the box of stowmentos from the attic — including the Elvis Presley drink coasters, the Marilyn Monroe lamp, and dreaded wall-hanging singing trout — since he knew the whole family would be stopping by to visit this weekend.

Etymology: stow - to store for future use (from German, stauen "to store away") + memento - a reminder of the past; a keepsake (Latin, imperative of meminisse "to remember")

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Hehe! - purpleartichokes, 2007-12-12: 19:05:00

Great word! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-12-12: 20:03:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Created by: silveryaspen

Pronunciation: move ment oh!

Sentence: My mother considered the oddly shaped, oddly colored vase high class. It was so ugly, I called it hide class. But I didn't want to hurt mom's feelings, so if she was coming, it became the gift of grab and display. The minute she left it was the gift of grab and hide away. It was a real movemento.

Etymology: MOVENTS, MEMENTO. MOVEMENTS - taking from hiding place to pride of place, then from pride of place to hiding place, repeatedly. MEMENTO - another synonym for a gift, especially a gift of remembrance!

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Movemento dear! Deliciously evocative of that sinking feeling of guilt :) - dochanne, 2008-12-16: 01:54:00

wonderful combo - Jabberwocky, 2008-12-16: 11:24:00

Good word - TJayzz, 2008-12-16: 13:15:00

I thought it wuz gunna be about an Italian Opera. Works well though. - Mustang, 2008-12-16: 21:01:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Created by: dochanne

Pronunciation: Nan-doo-hickey

Sentence: Dave looked high and low, knowing Sandra would have hidden the dastardly thing well, and eventually found it. Tucked behind the blankets on the bottom shelf in the linen cupboard, he found his grandmother's favourite teapot, the grotesque frills and golden seashells just too much to bear. But Nanna was coming for tea and would expect her most obvious rellymajigs to be on show. "Good grief!" said Sandra, "You can't expect me to use that awful nandoohickey! I should have dropped the damn thing last time."

Etymology: Nan or nanna - grandmother, or great-aunt, frequently known for giving strange or age-inappropriate gifts because you were five last time they saw you. Doohickey - gadget, thingamebob or whatchamacallit that some dolt gave you but you don't know what to do with.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Good one - OZZIEBOB, 2008-12-17: 04:10:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Created by: MrDave2176

Pronunciation: en-DOWN-er-ment

Sentence: As much as Kevin loved his Aunt Mildred, he loathed wearing the endownerment of his hand knitted teddy-bear sweater every time he went to visit.

Etymology: Endowment + downer (a drag, a bad trip, an emotionally depressing thing)

| Comments and Points

Created by: Niktionary

Pronunciation: disstplay

Sentence: "I hate this sweater! But my grandma gave it to me, and I'm having dinner with her. I have to dissedplay it. I hope we go someplace dark!"

Etymology: Slang term diss and display

| Comments and Points