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.

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Verboticisms

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Chatterbrain

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: chat-er-breyn

Sentence: Jim hates it when Jill has an idea just before they fall asleep. She is such a chatterbrain that he can hear her thinking. Jim's thought for the night - No sleep for Jim.

Etymology: chatter (to talk rapidly in a foolish or purposeless way; jabber) + brain (the center of thought, understanding) a play on chatterbox

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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)

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Ahawake

artr

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)

| Comments and Points

Thoughtolepsy

erasmus

Created by: erasmus

Pronunciation: thought o lepsy

Sentence: thoughtolepsy struck Edward like 3 shots of espresso taken intravenously.

Etymology: from narcolepsy a sleep disorder and thought.

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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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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:

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

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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.

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Drowsiphany

zrotv

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.)

| Comments and Points

Mullidget

Created by: pinwheel

Pronunciation: mull/id/jet

Sentence: When Jimmy worked out a way to avoid doing the washing up ever again, it was such a mullidget he was tossing and turning all night.

Etymology: mull + idea + fidget

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COMMENTS:

playdohheart I love this word except for it makes me think that perhaps the reason for being awake is considering mullets. But it would have had my vote if I hadn't voted already. - playdohheart, 2007-04-09: 04:37:00

petaj Or considering midgets, or midget mullets. - petaj, 2007-04-09: 04:51:00

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| Comments and Points

Inspirwaketion

playdohheart

Created by: playdohheart

Pronunciation: in-sper-wake-shun

Sentence: I was just about to fall asleep when I had a sudden inspirwaketion that the meaning of life just might be 42.

Etymology: Inspiration + wake

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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