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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You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Idenia

Created by: chaok

Pronunciation: eye-dee-nee-uh

Sentence: I have to take pills to sleep, otherwise i would have an idenia and lose a night of sleep.

Etymology: idea + insomnia

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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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Idemic

Created by: timmy

Pronunciation: I dem ic

Sentence: I have an idemic idea!

Etymology:

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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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Atomniadea

Mrgoodtimes

Created by: Mrgoodtimes

Pronunciation: uh tom nee uh dee uh

Sentence: Boom!! The explosion of a fledgling thought seed hitting her lobes could be heard on the other side of the king size bed. She knew this atomniadea would not let her sleep tonight.

Etymology: Atomic - Insomnia - Idea

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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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Pillowned

Created by: Erikv

Pronunciation: Pill loaned

Sentence: With baggy eyes and a tired mind he knew effects from being pillowned last night would beer with him for the rest of the day.

Etymology: Pillow plus owned

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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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Hypneureka

Created by: Crabtime

Pronunciation: Hip-nyur-EE-kah

Sentence: His coffee couldn't keep him awake--his hypneureka last night on the nature of caffiene made even his favorite drink unpalatable.

Etymology: Hypny- From Hypnos, Greek god of sleep Eureka- What Archimedes said when he leapt out of the bath, upon a discovery. Means "I have found it" or "This bath is too hot" in greek.

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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