Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
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Eyestore
Created by: TJayzz
Pronunciation: i-store
Sentence: When Dave's Auntie Joan had given him the hideous orange and green vase for Christmas last year he smiled broadly and thanked her very much telling her it was beautiful. However as soon as she had left he wrapped up the eyestore and put it straight into the loft. Auntie Joan is due to visit again this year on christmas day, so the plan is to get in the loft on Christmas eve and put the offending object in pride of place on the mantlepiece in the hope that it fools her into thinking that it has been there all year.
Etymology: Play on Eyesore
Whitelephantasmagoria
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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Unbelievabauble
Created by: libertybelle
Pronunciation: un-bee-leave-a-baw-bul
Sentence: Terry smiled as he opened his grandmother's gift of the clown cactus planter, knowing that this unbelievabauble would only grace his coffee table during her visits.
Etymology: unbelievable + bauble
Knickstashknack
Created by: remistram
Pronunciation: nik-stash-nak
Sentence: The velvet Elvis art became the popular knickstashknack that was hauled out of the depths of the basement every Christmas eve so Aunt Mabel wouldn't get offended.
Etymology: knick knack + stash
Crappreciate
Created by: Nuwanda
Pronunciation: crap-pree-she-ate
Sentence: After hearing that his Aunt Marsha was coming to the baby shower, Kyle ran to the basement, dug out the" painting of the shore birds that Marsha had "commissioned" her best friend to do for their house and put it in a prominent spot where everyone could crappreciate it.
Etymology: Crap + Appreciate
Uglament
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: əgləmənt
Sentence: Bill and Joan have one of the prettiest Christmas trees in the neighborhood. The only thing that keeps it from being the best is the huge uglament they are obligated to hang prominently on their tree. It was a gift from Joan's mother. Mom made this atrocious bauble in her craft class from an egg carton and too much glitter.
Etymology: ugly (unpleasant or repulsive, esp. in appearance) + ornament (a thing used to adorn something but usually having no practical purpose)
Resurregalia
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
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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
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Disguift
Created by: Carla
Pronunciation: dis-gwift
Sentence: Mary smiled through gritted teeth as she opened the box containing Aunt Sally's latest knitted monstrosity. The crocheted trousers would be consigned to the disguift drawer immediately.
Etymology: disgust + gift
Gifthorrors
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: gift hor rors
Sentence: Every Christmas, Chris and Holly looked forward to her Mother's annual Royal Visit with fear. Not because they were afraid of her, she was actually a kind and generaous person. No, they were afraid to drag out the gifthorrors she had bestowed on them for all the past holidays, to prove they liked and used them. The red rhinestone encrusted toilet brush (which looked so lovely in their purple bathroom). There was also the cross-eyed, smiling deer head to be mounted over the mantle. And the bearskin rug for the foyer...the koala bear skin rug. Add to the list, genuine ivory tusks used as coat racks;life-size gold sarcophagus of King Tut which doubled as a closeable shoe rack and their personal favourites,a five foot tall pair of the Dancing Hippos from Fantasia. Yep, next year Hawaii, not a fun old-fashioned Christmas!
Etymology: Gift (present;something acquired without compensation) & Horrors (something that inspires horror; something horrible) & Wordplay on Gift Horse (a gift (usually of inferior quality) that should be accepted uncritically)
Unbelievabauble
Created by: libertybelle
Pronunciation: un-bee-leave-uh-baw-bull
Sentence: Martin could see Cheryl's car coming down his street. He immediately lept into action. Ordinarily, he would have been prepared and had the hand sequined tapestry of Liberace taken out and hung well in advance of her visit, but as this was an unannounced drop-in, he had to scurry to unpack the unbelievabauble from the depths of the cellar storage room.
Etymology: unbelievable + bauble ok... this was my submission last time too... but i couldn't think of another.
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie Thank you kabloozie ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie. ~ James