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.
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
Nighdea
Created by: LankyJane
Pronunciation: [nye DEAR]/[nye DEE uh]
Sentence: I got no sleep last night, all because of this one bright nighdea.
Etymology: From "night" and "idea". The kind of idea that only comes to you late at night, particularly when you're almost asleep.
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COMMENTS:
Perfect! - lumina, 2008-06-20: 09:56:00
like it - Jabberwocky, 2008-06-20: 13:07:00
good one - Nosila, 2008-06-21: 02:13:00
Very good. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-21: 19:34:00
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Insomniaha
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: in som nee a ha
Sentence: It's like Wayne's brain was frozen all day, but when he did get brilliant ideas, it was just before he was getting ready to sleep. Then he would get his insomniaha moment. He finally learned to write these brain revolutions down, as inevitably he would be so tired the next day that he would forget his inspirations. That's when he would get amnesiaohnooooo!
Etymology: Insomnia (an inability to sleep) & Aha (expression used to describe triumph, surprise or "I get it!")
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.)
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)
Thoughtywink
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)
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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
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Nightbulbmoment
Created by: lumina
Pronunciation: night/bulb/moment
Sentence: Joe didn't didn't get much sleep last night because his wife had another nightbulbmoment.
Etymology: Obvious isn't it? This was a hard one. :)
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COMMENTS:
I've had them,too! - Nosila, 2008-06-21: 02:14:00
Ilike it; great word - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-21: 19:32:00
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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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Sominixon
Created by: toadstool57
Pronunciation: som-i-nix-on
Sentence: Nixion experienced many nights of soninixon as thoughts of Big scandels marched in his head.
Etymology: sominex, sleeping meds/ nix, as in Not/Nixion, the president that spent many sleepless nights.
Idomnia
Created by: collinwashere2
Pronunciation: Starts off like Idea and then ends like insomnia.
Sentence: I have a bad case of Idomnia tonight.
Etymology:
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