Vote for the best verboticism.
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.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Faceholder
Created by: emdeejay
Pronunciation: Faye Solder
Sentence: Dear old Aunt Faye. She would be best described as having a heart of gold, being generous to a fault, and possessing a taste for the profoundly kitsch. The cupboards of her relatives were stacked to the brim with gifts ranging from the impossibly garish, to the patently absurd. This year, Jayne and John were taking their turn at hosting the family festive gathering. Some show of appreciation for Faye's presence would have to be shown, so after a short deliberation it was down with the Salvador Dali print, and up with "Big Mouth Billy Bass"! Fortunately the luncheon passed without major incident; the family chipper, overfed, and blissfully subdued. Suddenly, an uncomfortable silence fell over the mirthful murmur as Faye inquired: "John whatever became of that delightful water feature I gave you, or that fabulous paisley shirt?" Faceholder to the rescue! John strolled casually over to Billy Bass and just before pressing the button he remarked "Dear Aunt Faye! My shirt has been worn so often, it's at the tailors for a mend. But Billy you see is the pride of the mantle!" And the family, relieved, joined Billy in a rousing rendition of "Take me to the river"
Etymology: Placeholder: Object or entity employed until an adequate replacement can be found. Face (to save): action employed for the purpose of maintaining dignity.
Sightelephant
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: site - el - e - fant
Sentence: Every gift that Jan's dad had given them seemed to be something he must have obtained as a "White Elephant" in a gift swap or, the only other explanation was that he shopped for them at flea markets. Whenever he came to their house, they had to quickly bring them up from storage so they could be seen....thus becoming a sightelephant until he left....
Etymology: Sight (range of vision, ability to see) + "White Elephant" (Gifts that are inexpensive, humorous or used items from home)
Artdecohno
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: art dek o no
Sentence: his mother had a huge collection of artdecohno on display, screaming aesthetic abuse from the mantlepiece,
Etymology: art deco, oh no
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.
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
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)
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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Unbelievabauble
Created by: libertybelle
Pronunciation: un-bee-leave-uh-baw-bull
Sentence: Martin could see Cheryl's car coming down his street. He immediately lept into action. Ordinarily, he would have been prepared and had the hand sequined tapestry of Liberace taken out and hung well in advance of her visit, but as this was an unannounced drop-in, he had to scurry to unpack the unbelievabauble from the depths of the cellar storage room.
Etymology: unbelievable + bauble ok... this was my submission last time too... but i couldn't think of another.
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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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.
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie Thank you kabloozie ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie. ~ James