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.
Eurekathought
Created by: josje
Pronunciation: eureka thought
Sentence: i dont want to go to sleep i´ve just got an eurekathought.
Etymology: thinking and eureka.
Hypneureka
Created by: Crabtime
Pronunciation: Hip-nyur-EE-kah
Sentence: His coffee couldn't keep him awake--his hypneureka last night on the nature of caffiene made even his favorite drink unpalatable.
Etymology: Hypny- From Hypnos, Greek god of sleep Eureka- What Archimedes said when he leapt out of the bath, upon a discovery. Means "I have found it" or "This bath is too hot" in greek.
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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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
Nightbulb
Created by: wordmeister
Pronunciation: nite-bulb
Sentence: Roger had a nightbulb so dark and brilliant that he couldn't sleep for week. Finally, his wife pulled the plug on the idea, and he rested...
Etymology: night + lightbulb
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COMMENTS:
Good one! - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-09: 09:49:00
Strangely enough, I couldn't sleep last night, so this one was easy. - wordmeister, 2007-04-09: 11:45:00
appropriate for spring planting - Jabberwocky, 2007-04-09: 12:19:00
This should win. - Bulletchewer, 2007-04-09: 15:39:00
re: spring planting -- Yes, blooming deep shade tulips - wordmeister, 2007-04-09: 18:20:00
I like the mental image that goes with that one! - jedijawa, 2007-04-09: 23:51:00
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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.
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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Presomnidea
Created by: WhiteRhino
Pronunciation: Pre-somb-nid-eya
Sentence: Morphine has been administered for acute Presomnidea and borderline Schizophrenia.
Etymology: Pre - before Somn - Sleep Idea - a thought or notion
Snortle
Created by: jrogan
Pronunciation: snor-til
Sentence: My wife kept snortling all night long and I could sleep either...
Etymology: snort-tell
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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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