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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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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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Embhellishment

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: emb/hell/ish/ment

Sentence: Sally prided herself on her home's sleek minimilist decor and cringed in horror every time she had to bedeck the bathroom in the fuzzy pink acrylic toilet embhellishments her best friend had given her.

Etymology: embellishment + hellish

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COMMENTS:

Nice - TJayzz, 2008-12-16: 13:14:00

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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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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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Stowmento

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")

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COMMENTS:

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

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

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Ugiftorate

tonii

Created by: tonii

Pronunciation: /ug-ift-o-rate/

Sentence: If you don't ugiftorate that nasty green vase onto the coffee table, your sister-in-law will never speak to you again!

Etymology: ugly + gift+ decorate

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Movemento

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!

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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

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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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Cheapophoret

Created by: logarithm

Pronunciation: chē-pō-fo-ret

Sentence:

Etymology: 1) Cheapo: of very poor quality and tastelessly showy. 2) Apophoret: a new year's gift.

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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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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