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'Why are you putting that by the front door?'

DEFINITION: n., An ugly decorative item or article of clothing received from friends or relatives, which is kept stored away but ready to be pulled out at a moment's notice in anticipation of a return visit. v., To temporarily place an old, and perhaps unattractive gift in a place of honor.

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Verboticisms

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Sightelephant

Created by: mweinmann

Pronunciation: site - el - e - fant

Sentence: Every gift that Jan's dad had given them seemed to be something he must have obtained as a "White Elephant" in a gift swap or, the only other explanation was that he shopped for them at flea markets. Whenever he came to their house, they had to quickly bring them up from storage so they could be seen....thus becoming a sightelephant until he left....

Etymology: Sight (range of vision, ability to see) + "White Elephant" (Gifts that are inexpensive, humorous or used items from home)

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Junkredux

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)

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Kitschsake

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: KICH-seyk

Sentence: When Bob heard that Roxie's mother was coming over in about 16 minutes time, he displayed, promptly and prominently, the "toaster-shaped" teapot, the "piece of toast" clock and all the other items of kitschsake she had given them.

Etymology: Conflation of KITSCH(from German)meaning: gaudy, trashy objects or items and (OE) SAKE, as in "keepsake", meaning an item kept for the sake of the giver.

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COMMENTS:

Love the sentence - I'm kinda wanting that toast clock to go with my toast coasters... - kabloozie, 2007-12-12: 13:11:00

maybe that's a hint that you should serve toast - Jabberwocky, 2007-12-12: 13:20:00

Great word Ozzie! - purpleartichokes, 2007-12-12: 19:04:00

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Regravermess

Created by: silveryaspen

Pronunciation: regravermess: re - grave - her - mess

Sentence: Everytime my mother-in-law visited, I couldn't wait for her to leave so I could again hide away the last regravermess she gave me!

Etymology: regravermess: re for resurrect ... grav for resurrect from the grave ... er is short for her ... mess for mess

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Zombift

Created by: grauntlet

Pronunciation: zam bIft

Sentence: His wife was beginning to serve tea to her mother when Duncan said: "where did you get this god-awful tea set? why dont you get the nice one?". His wife didn't have the time to warn him about the zombift.

Etymology: zombie + gift

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Crapsake

lavictoria

Created by: lavictoria

Pronunciation:

Sentence: Don't make fun of my sweater - it's a crapsake I got from my grandmother last year.

Etymology: crap+keepsake

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Gewgawdawful

Created by: kabloozie

Pronunciation: goo gahd ah full

Sentence: Damn it...where did I put that gewgawdawful your mother gave us - she's coming over in 15 minutes, and if I don't have that ceramic poodle out on the mantle, she'll know we hate it...

Etymology: gewgaw - a gimcrack or worthless bauble + god-awful

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COMMENTS:

Clever and interesting! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-12-12: 20:07:00

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Whitelephantasmagoria

karenanne

Created by: karenanne

Pronunciation: whyt EL eh fan TAZ ma GOR ee ah

Sentence: Over the holidays, my house becomes a whitelephantasmagoria of sorts, as I rotate in and out the succession of useless and hideous items given to me over the years by various relatives. I have to keep a calendar of who is coming when, so that the correct one is on display on the correct day. God forbid I put out the horrid quilt made for my grandchildren by their grandmother, my EX-mother-in-law, when my CURRENT mother-in-law visits. She has an uncanny sense for such things.

Etymology: white elephant + phantasmagoria (a constantly shifting complex succession of things seen or imagined; a series or group of strange or bizarre images seen as if in a dream)

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COMMENTS:

Whitelephantasmagoria are kept in a special trunk...good word - Nosila, 2009-12-16: 22:15:00

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Horroronour

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: horror-on-er

Sentence: Holly hauled the horrific heirloom out of the house and secreted it behind a heavyduty tarpaulin in the shed. She felt sure that Granny, at 94, would surely not live to see out another Christmas. This was likely the last time she would have to horroronour the hand-carved horologue.

Etymology: horror + honour

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COMMENTS:

Hysterical :-) - emdeejay, 2008-12-16: 05:39:00

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Drekorations

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: drekərāshən

Sentence: John and Mary loved their friend Holly. The problem is that Holly loves "outsider" art. Terms like found objects made John and Mary cringe. Several years ago Holly had given them a string of garland made of old soup cans, painted egg cartons, and even beads made from dried bear scat. Because Holly was such a regular visitor, there was no way they could get away with NOT putting up this drekoration. As they wrapped the garland around the banister John would quietly sing to himself, "Deck the halls with bowels from Holly".

Etymology: drek (rubbish; trash) + Decoration (the process or art of decorating or adorning something)

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COMMENTS:

That stinks! :-) - wayoffcenter, 2008-12-16: 04:45:00

Retroshabby.....the new chic. - Mustang, 2008-12-16: 20:59:00

Fabulous. - dochanne, 2008-12-16: 22:59:00

Fabulous. - dochanne, 2008-12-17: 01:34:00

Terrific - always wanted to use dreck in a verbotomy. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-12-17: 04:09:00

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-12-12: 01:20:00
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie Thank you kabloozie ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-12-16: 00:08:00
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie. ~ James