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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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Nocturtrance

Created by: remistram

Pronunciation: nok-ter-trance

Sentence: She kept her blackberry under her pillow on this night so she could record her nocturtrances.

Etymology: nocturnal + trance

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Restlessception

moltentim

Created by: moltentim

Pronunciation: rest/less/sep/shun

Sentence: Bob had a restlessception and couldn't fall asleep for the rest of the night.

Etymology: restless + conception (idea)

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Snortle

Created by: jrogan

Pronunciation: snor-til

Sentence: My wife kept snortling all night long and I could sleep either...

Etymology: snort-tell

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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)

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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

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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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Revigilation

Created by: ErWenn

Pronunciation: /ɹəˌvɪdʒəˈleɪʃən/̩

Sentence: Sometimes my revigilations seem truly deep, and sometimes I stay awake at nights wondering if "procrasticap" is funnier than "apathetes' heel".

Etymology: From revelation + vigil

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COMMENTS:

petaj Sounds like supervising exam candidates over and over - that would keep one awake at night too. - petaj, 2007-04-09: 04:48:00

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Pilloetic

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: pill-oh-et-ik

Sentence: At night Roy’s haikus Keep him and his wife awake: He’s pilloetic.

Etymology: pillow (a cloth case used to support the head) + poetic (of or relating to poetry)

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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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Albthought

Created by: jonobo

Pronunciation: alb like the alps + thought like contrary of thoughdrought.

Sentence: Just another albthought to keep the carousel spinning...

Etymology: Alb from german Albtraum, the german word for nightmare + thought ... english version should have been: Thoughtmare...

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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