Verboticism: Ornamenstrocity
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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Ornamenstrocity
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Rugly
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: rəglē
Sentence: It was a wedding gift from Aunt Martha. It’s hideous. Nonetheless with her impending visit, the handmade rugly thing is front and center in the foyer. As long as it is on the floor, the dogs insist on entering and exiting the back door.
Etymology: rug (a floor covering of shaggy or woven material, typically not extending over the entire floor) + ugly (unpleasant or repulsive, esp. in appearance)
Regravermess
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: regravermess: re - grave - her - mess
Sentence: Everytime my mother-in-law visited, I couldn't wait for her to leave so I could again hide away the last regravermess she gave me!
Etymology: regravermess: re for resurrect ... grav for resurrect from the grave ... er is short for her ... mess for mess
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
Gifthorrors
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: gift hor rors
Sentence: Every Christmas, Chris and Holly looked forward to her Mother's annual Royal Visit with fear. Not because they were afraid of her, she was actually a kind and generaous person. No, they were afraid to drag out the gifthorrors she had bestowed on them for all the past holidays, to prove they liked and used them. The red rhinestone encrusted toilet brush (which looked so lovely in their purple bathroom). There was also the cross-eyed, smiling deer head to be mounted over the mantle. And the bearskin rug for the foyer...the koala bear skin rug. Add to the list, genuine ivory tusks used as coat racks;life-size gold sarcophagus of King Tut which doubled as a closeable shoe rack and their personal favourites,a five foot tall pair of the Dancing Hippos from Fantasia. Yep, next year Hawaii, not a fun old-fashioned Christmas!
Etymology: Gift (present;something acquired without compensation) & Horrors (something that inspires horror; something horrible) & Wordplay on Gift Horse (a gift (usually of inferior quality) that should be accepted uncritically)
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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Tackytic
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: tak eee tik
Sentence: They made a tackytical substitution over the fireplace in the living room. The singing fish replaced the Van Gogh for the duration of old uncle chuck's visit to town.
Etymology: tack tactic.
Knickstashknack
Created by: remistram
Pronunciation: nik-stash-nak
Sentence: The velvet Elvis art became the popular knickstashknack that was hauled out of the depths of the basement every Christmas eve so Aunt Mabel wouldn't get offended.
Etymology: knick knack + stash
Doodud
Created by: theCountess
Pronunciation: Doo-Dud
Sentence: Carol dreaded receiving and being obliged to display yet another ugly doodud from her mother-in-law.
Etymology: Doodad + Dud
Disguift
Created by: Carla
Pronunciation: dis-gwift
Sentence: Mary smiled through gritted teeth as she opened the box containing Aunt Sally's latest knitted monstrosity. The crocheted trousers would be consigned to the disguift drawer immediately.
Etymology: disgust + gift
Giftquester
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: gift/kwes/ter
Sentence: We have a box in our closet in the family room where we giftquester all the awful presents our relatives have given us and can be retrived at a moments notice and be placed accordingly some where in sight.
Etymology: gift + sequester
