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'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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Fortythinks

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: for/tee/th/inks

Sentence: He was restless, sleep deprived and in the state of fortythinks, filled with the brilliant ideas on how he was going to become a partner in the firm at 29 years of age.

Etymology: fortywinks + thinks

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COMMENTS:

clever - Jabberwocky, 2007-04-09: 12:16:00

Very clever indeed. - ErWenn, 2007-04-09: 22:47:00

Oh, that's so very clever. - jedijawa, 2007-04-09: 23:46:00

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Thoughtmare

Created by: jedijawa

Pronunciation: thawt-mare

Sentence: Jill couldn't get to sleep because a thoughtmare was keeping her mind working too fast to get any rest.

Etymology: thought + nightmare

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COMMENTS:

Another great word! - Stevenson0, 2007-04-09: 20:48:00

I like the sound of this word, though I want to use it for the sorts of nonsensically horrifying idea-dreams that run through my head when I'm asleep enough to dream, but awake enough to know that the ideas don't make sense. - ErWenn, 2007-04-09: 22:47:00

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Idenia

Created by: chaok

Pronunciation: eye-dee-nee-uh

Sentence: I have to take pills to sleep, otherwise i would have an idenia and lose a night of sleep.

Etymology: idea + insomnia

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Insomniapiphany

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: insämnēəpifənē

Sentence: After sitting up almost all night with what he thought was an insomniapiphany, John finally dozed off. When he woke up again he couldn’t remember the idea at all. The only thing he knows for sure is that work is going to be a beast today.

Etymology: insomnia (habitual sleeplessness; inability to sleep) + epiphany (a moment of sudden revelation or insight)

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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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Insomniaha

Created by: galwaywegian

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!")

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Snoozeflash

Created by: Koekbroer

Pronunciation: snooz-flash

Sentence: Rachel was just about to drop off when she had a sudden snoozeflash which woke her up and sent her mind racing for the rest of the night.

Etymology: "snooze", as in sleep and "flash" from "newsflash"

| Comments and Points

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

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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

| Comments and Points

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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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