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.
Reveilleation
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: reh/vell/ee/ay/shun
Sentence: I was just settling down for a long winter's nap when a reveilleation so earth shattering occurred to me that I couldn't get a wink of sleep. I was also convinced that something was stuck in our chimney.
Etymology: reveille (military wake-up signal)+ revelation
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COMMENTS:
Clever blend. - 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:
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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Shaecey
Created by: ShAeCeY
Pronunciation:
Sentence:
Etymology:
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COMMENTS:
sHaEcEy is the cute...... - ShAeCeY, 2011-03-15: 02:13:00
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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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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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Wiseawake
Created by: rebelvin
Pronunciation: WISE+AWAKE
Sentence: After working all day, I finally thought of the solution so perfect it kept me wiseawake all night.
Etymology: WISE+AWAKE
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COMMENTS:
Now why didn't I think of that one! Perfect! - lumina, 2008-06-21: 10:25:00
Good word - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-21: 19:36:00
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Nightware
Created by: Alchemist
Pronunciation: NITE-ware
Sentence: I was up all last night with the the craziest nightware...what if there was some kind of global supercomputer where anyone could look up any kind of knowledge?
Etymology: nightmare, aware
Sleepdeprivision
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: sleep-deh-preh-vih-zhun
Sentence: Last night I had a sleepdeprivision. Today, I am groggily wondering why I thought it was feasible to set up a full-scale hydroponic artichoke growing system in my basement.
Etymology: sleep deprivation, vision
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COMMENTS:
I can't decide if your artichoke cultivation is big and brilliant (like the lighting system required to run such a thing) or dark and scary (there's got to be a reason why basements figure so boldly in murder movies) - petaj, 2007-04-09: 04:58:00
Oh and nice work with sleep deprivation. I went down that path, but no lightbulb moment on fitting in the idea bit. - petaj, 2007-04-09: 05:00:00
The lighting system did throw me a curve, as did where I would relocate my washer, dryer, furnace, and resident spiders. - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-09: 05:59:00
knew right away it was your word - very clever - Jabberwocky, 2007-04-09: 12:59:00
Wow, I didn't realize I was that verbobvious. - purpleartichokes, 2007-04-09: 14:10:00
That has a nice ring to it. - jedijawa, 2007-04-09: 23:58:00
hydropon my word! - galwaywegian, 2007-04-10: 05:17:00
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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...
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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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