Verboticism: Straindeer
DEFINITION: v., To run out of batteries during the holidays, especially on Christmas morning when all the kids and half the adults are screaming for their new toys. n., A battery or personal energy shortage created by over-consumption.
Voted For: Straindeer
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Lacknicad
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: LAK-nih-kad
Sentence: Suddenly realizing that his supply of batteries for toys, clocks and other gifts had run out, Lionel suffered a bout of clinical lacknicad depression.
Etymology: Blend of lack, and nicad, short for nickel cadmium, a type of battery.
Electonicrisis
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: /ee-lek-tron'-i-kry-sis/
Sentence: With all of the battery-operated toys, gadgets and gizmos Adam had bought for the family this holiday, he had somehow forgotten to purchase batteries, and the ensuing electronicrisis forced him to go out looking for batteries in bulk, despite his hollythargic state.
Etymology: electronic (from Greek ēlektron "amber" & -ic "-like") + crisis (Greek, krísis "decision")
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COMMENTS:
*Science Content Warning* Apparently rubbing amber creates static electrical potential, which is perhaps why the Greeks associated amber with electricity, or at least the unexplained force that attracted feathers, hair and other small objects to the piece of amber. Hmm, I wonder what would happen if you rub amber on a cat... - Tigger, 2007-12-21: 02:46:00
Great week of wordmaking! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-12-21: 14:54:00
This is a great word, but its a noun. Make it a transitive verb and I'll vote for it. - KelleyToohey, 2007-12-23: 19:48:00
Check the 2nd part of the definition — it asks for a transitive verb -or- a noun. - Tigger, 2007-12-30: 23:33:00
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Batterestitue
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: bah-ter-ess-ti-toot
Sentence: Triple AAA's and Quadruple AAAA's ran down so fast this Christmas past, I went batterestitute!
Etymology: a combo of batteries and destitue ... batterestitute
Shortcelled
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: short - selled
Sentence: Connie felt really shortcelled on Christmas Day. She had stayed up half the night putting together toys, cooked a banquet for the next day, baked cookies, decorated and cleaned the house. To top it all off, she ran out of batteries for all of the toys and electonic gadgets she had bought and was too tired to go to the store.
Etymology: Short (less than, not having enough) + Cell (microprocessor architecture, In electronics, a battery is two or more electrochemical cells which store chemical energy and make it available as electrical energy)
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COMMENTS:
Your inventive pronunciation gives an an added commercial dimension. Shortcelled also conjured up visions of spent brain cells, too. Short and cell can have so many meanings and applications. Kudos for creating a word that can take on more than one meaning and have many dimensions, for that's not easy to do! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-24: 11:34:00
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Lacknicad
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: LAK-nih-kad
Sentence: Suddenly realizing that his supply of batteries for toys, clocks and other gifts had run out, Harold suffered a bout of clinical lacknicad depression.
Etymology: Blend of 'lack' (deficiency or absence) and 'nicad', short for nickel cadmium, a type of battery.
Energizerbummer
Created by: toadstool57
Pronunciation: en-er-gIz-er-bum-mer
Sentence: Little Jill's holidays were an energigerbummer when all the toys quit working and Santa didn't leave any batteries in the stockings.
Etymology: energizer bunny, bummer
Holidrained
Created by: rombus
Pronunciation: hol - i - draned
Sentence: Carol was completely holidrained this year. By Christmas morning, it seemed that she had not rested since December 1st. There had been so many things to do to get ready for the holidays and now her batteries felt run down.....she needed badly to recharge.
Etymology: Holiday + Drained (spent, having no energy)
Neverready
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: nevəredē
Sentence: Christmas morning at Tim's parents house was always a struggle. Tim's dad was confounded by anything electronic. If a flashlight wouldn't work, he was never sure if it was one of the batteries or maybe the bulb, perhaps the switch. So, he kept them all. He had several drawers full of neverready batteries. This matched nicely with the closet full of defunct light bulbs. If you want something with batteries to work, you'd better bring some.
Etymology: never (at no time in the past or future) + Everready (brand of batteries)
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COMMENTS:
Merry Christmas Duracellebrations! - Nosila, 2008-12-24: 09:32:00
Clever! Meaning so apparent! - silveryaspen, 2008-12-24: 11:09:00
very good! - galwaywegian, 2008-12-24: 15:57:00
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