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.

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:

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Nightbulbmoment

Created by: lumina

Pronunciation: night/bulb/moment

Sentence: Joe didn't didn't get much sleep last night because his wife had another nightbulbmoment.

Etymology: Obvious isn't it? This was a hard one. :)

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COMMENTS:

I've had them,too! - Nosila, 2008-06-21: 02:14:00

Ilike it; great word - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-21: 19:32:00

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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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Thinksomnia

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: think som neeya

Sentence: Apparently he was too busy or preoccupied to think during his busy day, but Joe Einstein got his best ideas at night just before or after he went to sleep and ended up thinking of all the possibilies/obstructions/refinements to his ideas all night. To the point he could not get to sleep. He had thinksomnia real bad and it was only when he actually committed these ideas to paper while he was "on" that he remembered enough of them in the morning to put them in motion. But this meant turning on a light, writing for hours and keeping his wife Mona awake, too. It was not until he had another bright idea one night that she approved of his nocturnal brilliance. He invented a sleeprecorder and told it all his ideas as he got them, so that he could replay in the morning and capitalize on his great ideas!

Etymology: Think (ideas;imagine;visualize;an instance of deliberate thinking) & Insomnia (an inability to sleep; chronic sleeplessness)

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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

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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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| Comments and Points

Mullidget

Created by: pinwheel

Pronunciation: mull/id/jet

Sentence: When Jimmy worked out a way to avoid doing the washing up ever again, it was such a mullidget he was tossing and turning all night.

Etymology: mull + idea + fidget

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COMMENTS:

playdohheart I love this word except for it makes me think that perhaps the reason for being awake is considering mullets. But it would have had my vote if I hadn't voted already. - playdohheart, 2007-04-09: 04:37:00

petaj Or considering midgets, or midget mullets. - petaj, 2007-04-09: 04:51:00

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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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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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Fortythinks

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: for/tee/th/inks

Sentence: Joe was restless, sleep deprived, in and out of consciousness 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: FORTYTHINKS - noun - from FORTYWINKS (a short light sleep) + THINKS (as in thoughts, ideas)

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COMMENTS:

excellent word - Jabberwocky, 2008-06-20: 13:05:00

Excelent. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-06-21: 19:36:00

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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