Vote for the best verboticism.

'Honey, are you awake?'

DEFINITION: n. An idea that pops into your head just before you fall asleep, which is so big and brilliant, or else so dark and scary, that it keeps you awake all night long. v. To lie awake in bed with a head full of big dreams.

Create | Read

Verboticisms

Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...

You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Branake

Created by: Tanik

Pronunciation: BrAn-Ak

Sentence: She was up all night with a serious case of branake. She just couldn't shake the thought of Bob with Sally.

Etymology: brain + awake

| Comments and Points

Snortle

Created by: jrogan

Pronunciation: snor-til

Sentence: My wife kept snortling all night long and I could sleep either...

Etymology: snort-tell

| Comments and Points

Thoughtywink

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: th-or-tee-wink

Sentence: Being a particularly creative type, Michelangelo was prone to thoughtywinks which allowed him only very light sleep for extremely short periods. He longed for a solid night of deep sleep.

Etymology: thought (mental process that generates ideas) + forty winks (a short light nap)

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

Almost as good as "thoughtdiscount". Gets a vote. - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-09: 05:27:00

Cute word! - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-09: 06:00:00

Also sounds like "naughty winks" -- gets my vote. - wordmeister, 2007-04-09: 23:05:00

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

| Comments and Points

Sleepdeprivision

Created by: purpleartichokes

Pronunciation: sleep-deh-preh-vih-zhun

Sentence: Last night I had a sleepdeprivision. Today, I am groggily wondering why I thought it was feasible to set up a full-scale hydroponic artichoke growing system in my basement.

Etymology: sleep deprivation, vision

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

petaj I can't decide if your artichoke cultivation is big and brilliant (like the lighting system required to run such a thing) or dark and scary (there's got to be a reason why basements figure so boldly in murder movies) - petaj, 2007-04-09: 04:58:00

petaj Oh and nice work with sleep deprivation. I went down that path, but no lightbulb moment on fitting in the idea bit. - petaj, 2007-04-09: 05:00:00

The lighting system did throw me a curve, as did where I would relocate my washer, dryer, furnace, and resident spiders. - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-09: 05:59:00

knew right away it was your word - very clever - Jabberwocky, 2007-04-09: 12:59:00

Wow, I didn't realize I was that verbobvious. - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-09: 14:10:00

That has a nice ring to it. - jedijawa, 2007-04-09: 23:58:00

hydropon my word! - galwaywegian, 2007-04-10: 05:17:00

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

| Comments and Points

Sleepiphany

libertybelle

Created by: libertybelle

Pronunciation: sleep-pip-fan-knee

Sentence: It was clear to me that my husband's sleepiphany was going to be the cause of my insomnia as every time I began to drift off he would bring up another nuance of his idea.

Etymology: sleep + epiphany... not my best work but it's been a while!

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

love it - Jabberwocky, 2008-06-20: 13:08:00

TimTheEnchanter nice! - TimTheEnchanter, 2008-06-20: 17:11:00

Like it a lot. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-21: 19:37:00

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

| Comments and Points

Albthought

Created by: jonobo

Pronunciation: alb like the alps + thought like contrary of thoughdrought.

Sentence: Just another albthought to keep the carousel spinning...

Etymology: Alb from german Albtraum, the german word for nightmare + thought ... english version should have been: Thoughtmare...

| Comments and Points

Shaecey

Created by: ShAeCeY

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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

sHaEcEy is the cute...... - ShAeCeY, 2011-03-15: 02:13:00

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

| Comments and Points

Premonstermare

Created by: Bulletchewer

Pronunciation: pre-mun-stir-mayr

Sentence: Dennis Skinner's premonstermare of a plot to quietly poison and thus kill the terrifying legacy of his beloved Mrs Thatcher caused the beast to stir more than a junkie's coffee.

Etymology: From "pre-" meaning "before", "premonition" meaning "inappropriate and patronizing", "monster" meaning "Mrs Thatcher" and "mare" meaning "Mrs Thatcher/old, barely-female horse".

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

petaj Huh? premonition - inappropriate and patronizing. Some subtlety there I just can't see - maybe a Dennis Skinner quote? - petaj, 2007-04-09: 07:18:00

A dream that occurs right before PMS. - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-09: 14:50:00

Premonition doesn't fit here, hence inappropriate. The fact I explain "pre-" is patronizing. Contrived as ever. No Skinner quote, just nods at "the Beast of Bolsover", as he is affectionately known. But if you're looking for references, did you get all/any of the Zeppelin refs for my word "gallowsbeaver"? - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-09: 15:44:00

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

| Comments and Points

Laxidazical

Created by: efreet69

Pronunciation: laks-e-DAZE-e-kal

Sentence: After the stomach problems following bean taco night, the experience left him in a laxidazical state.

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Pillowned

Created by: Erikv

Pronunciation: Pill loaned

Sentence: With baggy eyes and a tired mind he knew effects from being pillowned last night would beer with him for the rest of the day.

Etymology: Pillow plus owned

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-09: 00:03:00
Thank you to Dan Pink for sponsoring this week's Right-Brain Verbotomy Contest and creativity prize. ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-09: 11:29:00
What happened last week? Read Verbotoweek! A look back at last week's wickedest words and funniest comments... Edited by "Weeklink", one of our top players who from some reason, perhaps self-preservation, prefers to remain anonymous! See: Verbotoweek in the Verbotomy Blog.

Bulletchewer - 2007-04-09: 15:52:00
Wonder if this happened to Thomas Edison. Oh, and in a related piece of propaganda, vote for Wordmeister's "Nightbulb"! PS Great (if slightly embarrassing) blog!

wordmeister - 2007-04-09: 18:04:00
Hey Bulletchewer, Thanks for the vote of support! I guess I managed to skip through my own premonstermare without getting trampled...

Bulletchewer - 2007-04-09: 18:37:00
Just wondering if anyone else is ineligible for this week's contest. Who's up for a Sir Geoffrey?

toadstool57 - 2007-04-09: 21:34:00
James - cool that you spotlighted CFLs.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-04-10: 00:07:00
Thanks toadstool57. We're just trying to create some environmentally friendly ideas. ~ James

OZZIEBOB - 2008-06-21: 19:35:00
Excellent.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-10-26: 02:14:00
Today's definition was suggested by wordmeister. Thank you wordmeister. ~ James