Verboticism: Endownerment
DEFINITION: n., An ugly decorative item or article of clothing received from friends or relatives, which is kept stored away but ready to be pulled out at a moment's notice in anticipation of a return visit. v., To temporarily place an old, and perhaps unattractive gift in a place of honor.
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Endownerment
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Whitelephantasmagoria
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: whyt EL eh fan TAZ ma GOR ee ah
Sentence: Over the holidays, my house becomes a whitelephantasmagoria of sorts, as I rotate in and out the succession of useless and hideous items given to me over the years by various relatives. I have to keep a calendar of who is coming when, so that the correct one is on display on the correct day. God forbid I put out the horrid quilt made for my grandchildren by their grandmother, my EX-mother-in-law, when my CURRENT mother-in-law visits. She has an uncanny sense for such things.
Etymology: white elephant + phantasmagoria (a constantly shifting complex succession of things seen or imagined; a series or group of strange or bizarre images seen as if in a dream)
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COMMENTS:
Whitelephantasmagoria are kept in a special trunk...good word - Nosila, 2009-12-16: 22:15:00
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Drekorations
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: drekərāshən
Sentence: John and Mary loved their friend Holly. The problem is that Holly loves "outsider" art. Terms like found objects made John and Mary cringe. Several years ago Holly had given them a string of garland made of old soup cans, painted egg cartons, and even beads made from dried bear scat. Because Holly was such a regular visitor, there was no way they could get away with NOT putting up this drekoration. As they wrapped the garland around the banister John would quietly sing to himself, "Deck the halls with bowels from Holly".
Etymology: drek (rubbish; trash) + Decoration (the process or art of decorating or adorning something)
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COMMENTS:
That stinks! :-) - wayoffcenter, 2008-12-16: 04:45:00
Retroshabby.....the new chic. - Mustang, 2008-12-16: 20:59:00
Fabulous. - dochanne, 2008-12-16: 22:59:00
Fabulous. - dochanne, 2008-12-17: 01:34:00
Terrific - always wanted to use dreck in a verbotomy. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-12-17: 04:09:00
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Relatement
Created by: mrowka
Pronunciation: Re-late-ment
Sentence: Before Aunt Patty came over, I had to find the proper relatement for her decoupage crockpot.
Etymology: Relation + Placement
Stowmento
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /stoh-men'-toh/
Sentence: Reluctantly, Carlos pulled out the box of stowmentos from the attic — including the Elvis Presley drink coasters, the Marilyn Monroe lamp, and dreaded wall-hanging singing trout — since he knew the whole family would be stopping by to visit this weekend.
Etymology: stow - to store for future use (from German, stauen "to store away") + memento - a reminder of the past; a keepsake (Latin, imperative of meminisse "to remember")
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COMMENTS:
Hehe! - purpleartichokes, 2007-12-12: 19:05:00
Great word! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-12-12: 20:03:00
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Prezzidigitate
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: PREZZ-ee-DIJ-ee-TATE
Sentence: Bob had just put away the kitschsake toaster-clock his mother had given him many years before, when he heard the news that his mother-in-law was on her way over to his place. Quickly, and in order not to offend her, he rummaged through an old trunk in his garage to find the indoor sundial she had given him as a birthday present. Fortunately for him, with good luck and a dash of good memory, he found it and prezzidigitated it, as a dragonsop, into a place of prominence and importance for her to see.
Etymology: Blend of PREZZI: (slang for present, gift.) & PRESTIDIGITATE: to be manually dexterios in the execution of tricks ; sleight of hand. KITSCHSAKE: Conflation of KITSCH(from German)meaning: gaudy, trashy objects or items and (OE) SAKE, as in "keepsake", meaning an item kept for the sake of the giver. DRAGONSOP: DRAGON-Slang term for mother-in-law or wife; SOP: Anything given (or done)to pacify; -- so called from the sop given to Cerberus, as related in mythology.
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COMMENTS:
Works like magic for me! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-16: 22:36:00
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Zombift
Created by: grauntlet
Pronunciation: zam bIft
Sentence: His wife was beginning to serve tea to her mother when Duncan said: "where did you get this god-awful tea set? why dont you get the nice one?". His wife didn't have the time to warn him about the zombift.
Etymology: zombie + gift
Interimantlepiece
Created by: hendrixius
Pronunciation: /in-tur-ruh-man-tull-pees/
Sentence: John reluctantly displayed the interimantlepiece over the couch in the family room, despite the fact that a singing bass did not exactly match the room's decor.
Etymology: "interim" and "mantle-piece"
Kinschy
Created by: bzav1
Pronunciation: kin - shee
Sentence: We had to put out several of the kinschy gifts my family had given to us over the years before they arrived over the holidays.
Etymology: kin + Kitschy
Hideopresent
Created by: jajsr
Pronunciation: Heh-dee-o-preh-zint
Sentence: Knowing that his in-laws were coming to visit for the holidays, Bill's wife made him wear the hideopresent of a sweater that her mom made him for Christmas last year.
Etymology: Combination of "Hideo" from hideous - offensive to the senses and especially to sight; and "Present" - to make a gift to.
Nandoohickey
Created by: dochanne
Pronunciation: Nan-doo-hickey
Sentence: Dave looked high and low, knowing Sandra would have hidden the dastardly thing well, and eventually found it. Tucked behind the blankets on the bottom shelf in the linen cupboard, he found his grandmother's favourite teapot, the grotesque frills and golden seashells just too much to bear. But Nanna was coming for tea and would expect her most obvious rellymajigs to be on show. "Good grief!" said Sandra, "You can't expect me to use that awful nandoohickey! I should have dropped the damn thing last time."
Etymology: Nan or nanna - grandmother, or great-aunt, frequently known for giving strange or age-inappropriate gifts because you were five last time they saw you. Doohickey - gadget, thingamebob or whatchamacallit that some dolt gave you but you don't know what to do with.
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COMMENTS:
Good one - OZZIEBOB, 2008-12-17: 04:10:00
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