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

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.

Thoughtywink

petaj

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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| Comments and Points

Dormiphany

Created by: dengkeeevvin

Pronunciation: door-mif-uh-nee

Sentence: I had a horrble night of sleep. I had no problem falling asleep but then I had a dormiphany of what to do about my situation at work. That kept me up all night!

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Wakethought

ohwtepph

Created by: ohwtepph

Pronunciation: /weyk-thawt/

Sentence: He stays up all night to the wakethought of murdering his wife.

Etymology: Wake + Thought

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COMMENTS:

ohwtepph A nice archaic-sounding word. Wakethought could be a good movie title, too. :) - ohwtepph, 2007-04-09: 23:31:00

You got the scary part.... - wordmeister, 2007-04-10: 02:50:00

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| Comments and Points

Insomnathought

Created by: TheMagnetik

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

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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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.

| Comments and Points

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 and Points

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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| Comments and Points

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)

| Comments and Points

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

| Comments and Points

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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