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
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Interimantlepiece
Created by: hendrixius
Pronunciation: /in-tur-ruh-man-tull-pees/
Sentence: John reluctantly displayed the interimantlepiece over the couch in the family room, despite the fact that a singing bass did not exactly match the room's decor.
Etymology: "interim" and "mantle-piece"
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
Faceholder
Created by: emdeejay
Pronunciation: Faye Solder
Sentence: Dear old Aunt Faye. She would be best described as having a heart of gold, being generous to a fault, and possessing a taste for the profoundly kitsch. The cupboards of her relatives were stacked to the brim with gifts ranging from the impossibly garish, to the patently absurd. This year, Jayne and John were taking their turn at hosting the family festive gathering. Some show of appreciation for Faye's presence would have to be shown, so after a short deliberation it was down with the Salvador Dali print, and up with "Big Mouth Billy Bass"! Fortunately the luncheon passed without major incident; the family chipper, overfed, and blissfully subdued. Suddenly, an uncomfortable silence fell over the mirthful murmur as Faye inquired: "John whatever became of that delightful water feature I gave you, or that fabulous paisley shirt?" Faceholder to the rescue! John strolled casually over to Billy Bass and just before pressing the button he remarked "Dear Aunt Faye! My shirt has been worn so often, it's at the tailors for a mend. But Billy you see is the pride of the mantle!" And the family, relieved, joined Billy in a rousing rendition of "Take me to the river"
Etymology: Placeholder: Object or entity employed until an adequate replacement can be found. Face (to save): action employed for the purpose of maintaining dignity.
Presententious
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: pre-sen-ten-tious
Sentence: The green and blue speckled ash tray that Sam's mother made was presententiously displayed whenever the old bat came to visit, since neither Eileen, her husband, nor anyone else they knew smoked, except for Sam's mother.
Etymology: present:gift + pretentious: receiving or demanding a distinction of merit, especially when not justified; making an outward show
Prezzidigitate
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: PREZZ-ee-DIJ-ee-TATE
Sentence: Bob had just put away the kitschsake toaster-clock his mother had given him many years before, when he heard the news that his mother-in-law was on her way over to his place. Quickly, and in order not to offend her, he rummaged through an old trunk in his garage to find the indoor sundial she had given him as a birthday present. Fortunately for him, with good luck and a dash of good memory, he found it and prezzidigitated it, as a dragonsop, into a place of prominence and importance for her to see.
Etymology: Blend of PREZZI: (slang for present, gift.) & PRESTIDIGITATE: to be manually dexterios in the execution of tricks ; sleight of hand. KITSCHSAKE: 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. DRAGONSOP: DRAGON-Slang term for mother-in-law or wife; SOP: Anything given (or done)to pacify; -- so called from the sop given to Cerberus, as related in mythology.
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COMMENTS:
Works like magic for me! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-16: 22:36:00
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Doodud
Created by: theCountess
Pronunciation: Doo-Dud
Sentence: Carol dreaded receiving and being obliged to display yet another ugly doodud from her mother-in-law.
Etymology: Doodad + Dud
Showgiz
Created by: Lidipop
Pronunciation: ssh-oh-g-iz
Sentence: Sweety, get your mothers gifts out of the closet...it's time to "showgiz" them!!! :)
Etymology: show case + gift + gizmos
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)
Giftquester
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: gift/kwes/ter
Sentence: We have a box in our closet in the family room where we giftquester all the awful presents our relatives have given us and can be retrived at a moments notice and be placed accordingly some where in sight.
Etymology: gift + sequester
Crapsake
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
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie Thank you kabloozie ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie. ~ James