Verboticism: Horroronour
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.
Voted For: Horroronour
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Tempresent
Created by: drkesper
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Where is the box with our tempresents. Aunt Margret is visiting...
Etymology:
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COMMENTS:
Perfect!!! - Niktionary, 2007-12-12: 12:05:00
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Shiftagift
Created by: rombus
Pronunciation: sh - ift - uh - gift
Sentence: Tom was really getting tired of playing shiftagift. He had so many tired, ugly things that people had given him and everytime one of them was due to visit, he felt that he had to "shift" his apartment around so that his friends and family would think that he was using the things they had given him.
Etymology: Shift (to move or change around) + Gift (a present or freely given item)
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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Resurregalia
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: rez-ure-REG-ahl-ee-uh
Sentence: Babs and Jake always greeted the holidays with excitement and dread. With extended family coming to visit, these reunions often degenerated into verbal slug fests. Babs would prepare the mandatory dishes, and Jake's job was to break out the RESURREGALIA...those tacky gifts and mementoes which would have been endearing if they weren't SO ugly and tasteless. Jake was especially fond of Aunt Lydia's "Sceptre of Authority"- a self-contained toilet accesory with disturbingly phallic qualities which kept everyone laughing well into the wee hours. Bottoms up!
Etymology: RESURREct+reGALIA=RESURREGALIA.........RESURRECT:to bring to view, attention, or use again,to raise from the dead;back-formation from resurrection-1772......REGALIA:: the emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royalty,decorations or insignia,special dress or trappings;Medieval Latin, from Latin, neuter plural of regalis-1540
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COMMENTS:
Re(as)suringly regal resurrection complete with elegant use of Latin. Very nice! - dochanne, 2008-12-16: 03:00:00
Brings back so many memories. I like it. - Mustang, 2008-12-16: 21:00:00
Good word...been there done that! - Nosila, 2008-12-16: 22:16:00
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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"
Horroronour
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: horror-on-er
Sentence: Holly hauled the horrific heirloom out of the house and secreted it behind a heavyduty tarpaulin in the shed. She felt sure that Granny, at 94, would surely not live to see out another Christmas. This was likely the last time she would have to horroronour the hand-carved horologue.
Etymology: horror + honour
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COMMENTS:
Hysterical :-) - emdeejay, 2008-12-16: 05:39:00
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Voted For! | Comments and Points
Gifthoarse
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: gift hors
Sentence: Christmas Season means family visits and redecorating to accommodate and proudly show off the bizarre previous gifts reveived from the visitors. When Wendy & Peter redecorated, they always included the present his Mother had given him and thought was a perfect addition to their lodge-like home, Billy-The-Singing-Big-Bass-Fish-Stuck-On-A-Wall-Plaque. She would repeatedly push the button and play "YMCA" over and over, laughing all the way. Luckily so many years of abuse had almost worn out his singing voice and Billy was now a gifthoarse.
Etymology: Gift (present) & Gifthorse (a gift (usually of inferior quality) that should be accepted uncritically) & Hoarse (deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion)
Adornmoment
Created by: xirtam
Pronunciation: ə-dôrn'moh-muhnt
Sentence: Prior to her mother-in-laws visit Lisa placed a bowl of glass grapes in the center of her coffee table. They were ugly, but they were a gift. So they were only going to be there an adornmoment.
Etymology: Adornment: Something that beautifies or adorns; an ornament. + Moment: an indefinitely short period of time.
Treasuredpest
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: tres shured pest
Sentence: It all started when Fred's father was in prison and made everyone items in the woodshop for Christmas. Most of the family got normal, carved items, like ducks or horses or dogs. But lucky Fred was given a large whittled evil-looking rat. It's beady eyes followed you around the room and the little kids were scared of it. When his Dad was paroled, he came each major holiday to visit with Fred and his family, and they would have to dig out "You dirty rat" as it became known to proudly display on the mantle. Fred's wife was afraid to dust it and it became a treasuredpest, much to the smug laughter of other family members. They all knew Fred got the treasuredpest because he had been the one to phone Crimestoppers and turn in the old man for passing counterfeit money in the first place. So much for anonymity!
Etymology: Treasured (something valued or feeling fondness for) & Pest (something persistently annoying) & Play on term Treasure Chest (a chest filled with valuables)
Uglament
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: əgləmənt
Sentence: Bill and Joan have one of the prettiest Christmas trees in the neighborhood. The only thing that keeps it from being the best is the huge uglament they are obligated to hang prominently on their tree. It was a gift from Joan's mother. Mom made this atrocious bauble in her craft class from an egg carton and too much glitter.
Etymology: ugly (unpleasant or repulsive, esp. in appearance) + ornament (a thing used to adorn something but usually having no practical purpose)
