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.
Awakenspiration
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: away ken spir ay shun
Sentence: Not again, Joe moaned. He had nary a new thought all day long, but instead got one as he started to try and sleep. His awakenspiration not only kept him alert all night, but also his wife. "I'm going to have to get on the night shift at work", he thought...
Etymology: Awake (not asleep) & Inspiration (Idea;a product of your creative thinking)
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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Bedspiration
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: bed-spi-ray-shun
Sentence: Clair's bedspiration helped her to finally finish her second symphony. All she had to do was move the piano into the bedroom and move Gustav out of it since there wasn't room for both him and the piano.
Etymology: bed + bedspread + inspiration: sudden creative act or idea; stimulation of the mind or feelings to special activity or creativity
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COMMENTS:
Bedspiration can be hard on matressimony. - artr, 2009-10-26: 14:47:00
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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
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COMMENTS:
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
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
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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
Eurekaffeine
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: you-ree-caff-een
Sentence: 3 nights in a row he suffered from such severe eurekaffeine that he felt like his brain may explode
Etymology: eureka! caffeine
Ideapnea
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: ahy-dee-ap-NEE-uh
Sentence: Bob, a lateral-thinking, horror film addict, was woken a thousand times nightly by his ideapnea, including frightening bouts of zedlesspookia.
Etymology: IDEA: Thought, conception, notion & APNEA: a temporary suspension of breathing, occurring during sleep (sleep apnea)often waking the sufferer hundreds of times a night. With Bob it his crazy ideas that wake him up- ask Roxie.
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COMMENTS:
Wish I'd thought of it....great word! - Mustang, 2008-06-20: 06:10:00
great - Jabberwocky, 2008-06-20: 13:06:00
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Idomnia
Created by: collinwashere2
Pronunciation: Starts off like Idea and then ends like insomnia.
Sentence: I have a bad case of Idomnia tonight.
Etymology:
Nocturntoss
Created by: lauramy
Pronunciation: nok-tern-toss
Sentence: The thought of anchovies dipped in fudge sauce sent me into an all night fit of nocturntoss.
Etymology: nocturnal + turn + toss
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