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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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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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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Quipical

Created by: unheroic

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Ideaobrilliantcreepy

Created by: wordgrrl

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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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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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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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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Hypothelogue

Created by: Ellemorpheus

Pronunciation: Hi-poth-el-ogg

Sentence: Her hypothelogue caused her to wake up late the next morning and miss her big meeting.

Etymology: Hypothe-hypothesis logue- monologue (conversation with oneself)

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Entreprenopeneyed

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: on te pren owe pen eyed

Sentence: he lay entreprenopeneyed, replaying marketing pitches for his ear divot pillows.

Etymology: entrepreneur, open eyed.

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Sleepiphany

libertybelle

Created by: libertybelle

Pronunciation: sleep-pip-fan-knee

Sentence: It was clear to me that my husband's sleepiphany was going to be the cause of my insomnia as every time I began to drift off he would bring up another nuance of his idea.

Etymology: sleep + epiphany... not my best work but it's been a while!

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COMMENTS:

love it - Jabberwocky, 2008-06-20: 13:08:00

TimTheEnchanter nice! - TimTheEnchanter, 2008-06-20: 17:11:00

Like it a lot. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-21: 19:37:00

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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