Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
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.
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".
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COMMENTS:
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
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Ahawake
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: ähäwāk
Sentence: The revelation that Julia had just as she was about to doze off kept her ahawake all night. It only took her 18 years and a chance encounter on Facebook but she now was certain she knew who her real father was and why her mother kept it secret.
Etymology: aha (used to express satisfaction, triumph, or surprise) + awake (not asleep)
Insomnidea
Created by: PapaWheelie87
Pronunciation: IN-SAHM-NYE-DEE-AH
Sentence: "I had this crazy insomnidea that kept me up all night."
Etymology: Insomnia (The inability to obtain sufficient sleep)+ Idea(A thought, conception, or notion).
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COMMENTS:
Basically an idea that causes insomnia. INSOMNIDEA! - PapaWheelie87, 2007-04-09: 02:24:00
This may be helpful, and even marketable as an alternative to caffeine, especially if you're doing a long drive... - wordmeister, 2007-04-09: 18:12:00
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Kawinkythink
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: kuh-WIHNK-ee-THIHNK
Sentence: Alex's kawinkythink had him tossing and turning all night--why not a marshmallow creme and jelly sandwich?
Etymology: kawinkydink (folk etymology pronunciation of "coincidence") + wink (as in "forty winks") + think = the coincidence of trying to sleep and having a thought
Drainstorm
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: DRANE-storm
Sentence: Once again Filbert arose from his bed in the morning thoroughly exhausted from another long bout with a monstrous drainstorm....a flood of ideas that kept him awake and left him drained.
Etymology: Blend of the words 'drain' and 'storm' and a play on the word 'brainstorm.
Thinksomnia
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: think som neeya
Sentence: Apparently he was too busy or preoccupied to think during his busy day, but Joe Einstein got his best ideas at night just before or after he went to sleep and ended up thinking of all the possibilies/obstructions/refinements to his ideas all night. To the point he could not get to sleep. He had thinksomnia real bad and it was only when he actually committed these ideas to paper while he was "on" that he remembered enough of them in the morning to put them in motion. But this meant turning on a light, writing for hours and keeping his wife Mona awake, too. It was not until he had another bright idea one night that she approved of his nocturnal brilliance. He invented a sleeprecorder and told it all his ideas as he got them, so that he could replay in the morning and capitalize on his great ideas!
Etymology: Think (ideas;imagine;visualize;an instance of deliberate thinking) & Insomnia (an inability to sleep; chronic sleeplessness)
Drowsiphany
Created by: zrotv
Pronunciation: drouz-ĭf'ə-nē
Sentence: My eyelids were weighted and thoughts diffused to nothingness as sleep was to take hold momentarily. Suddenly I had a drowsiphany. It was in that sedate state the the schematics for the flux-capacitor became clear as day.
Etymology: Drowse (To be half-asleep) + epiphany (A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.)
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
Atomniadea
Created by: Mrgoodtimes
Pronunciation: uh tom nee uh dee uh
Sentence: Boom!! The explosion of a fledgling thought seed hitting her lobes could be heard on the other side of the king size bed. She knew this atomniadea would not let her sleep tonight.
Etymology: Atomic - Insomnia - Idea
Comments:
Thank you to Dan Pink for sponsoring this week's Right-Brain Verbotomy Contest and creativity prize. ~ James
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.
Thanks toadstool57. We're just trying to create some environmentally friendly ideas. ~ James
OZZIEBOB - 2008-06-21: 19:35:00
Excellent.
Today's definition was suggested by wordmeister. Thank you wordmeister. ~ James