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DEFINITION: v., To search for and find a pen to write down an important note, only to discover that the pen does not work. n., A moment in time when the only pens you can find, are pens that do not work.

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Verboticisms

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Inkvain

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: ink-vain

Sentence: It was all inkvain. Scrabbling through the bureau drawer in search of a writing implement while the gormless game-show host rabbited on about numbers to call had proven fruitless, and Sally was left despondent that she had not been able to write down the SMS number to win $5000 on Who wants to be a Millionaire.

Etymology: in vain (to no purpose) + ink (what the pens are missing)

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Bickenscratch

Created by: xirtam

Pronunciation: bic-en-skrach

Sentence: With the only pen I could find out of ink, I had to bickenscratch the phone number into the note pad so I could read the indentations later.

Etymology: bic: a brand of pen + Chicken Scratch: slang; poor or illegible writing. Scratch: To write or draw by scraping or cutting the lines into a surface.

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COMMENTS:

To be precise, this is the inevitable result of the event described, but I like it! 'He bickenscratched his way through the morning until he finally found a pen that worked.' - Tigger, 2007-11-06: 13:23:00

I like it too. Resembles my grocery list. - purpleartichokes, 2007-11-06: 20:01:00

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Ironical

Created by: jsmccarty82

Pronunciation: I-ron-ick-al

Sentence: It seems that this journal is a chronicle of ironies. Hey it should be called an ironical journal!

Etymology: A chronicle of ironies.

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Impentent

Created by: zxvasdf

Pronunciation: Im pen tent

Sentence: He scrambled for a pen as soon as a Pulitzer winning idea took shape in his brain, but as many have before and many will afterwards,encountered impentency. The idea faded, leaving him to angrily mutter at the pen, "Impertinent impentent pen!"

Etymology: Impotent (sterile) & Pen (writing instrument)

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COMMENTS:

He needds some Viagra in his ink! - Nosila, 2008-10-03: 20:18:00

I've seen Viagra on pens, but I would be extremely concerned if I found some in my pen. - zxvasdf, 2008-10-03: 23:11:00

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Ballpointless

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: bôlˌpoint lis

Sentence: Rusty had a wonderful idea. This happened so infrequently that it seemed imperative to write it down. He reached for a ballpointless pen and proceeded to do little more than tear a hole in a piece of paper. This whole exercise was ballpointless. He then had to try his entire collection of paper scratchers. As he looked at the advertising message on a pen and wondered where he had pilfered each one, the original thought he wanted to save for humanity slowly faded away, never to return.

Etymology: ballpoint (a pen with a tiny ball as its writing point) + pointless (having little or no sense, use, or purpose)

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Forsakepen

Created by: MrDave2176

Pronunciation: for-SAYK-pen / KWILL-kwest

Sentence: Joel was feeling foresakepen. His quillquest netted him a handful of nibarren plastic rods useful for little more than stirring coffee. Nibarren = empty nib (the thing that dispenses the ink)

Etymology: foresa(ken) + pen / quill (a quill is always useless without ink) + quest

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COMMENTS:

very good - lots of great words in your sentence - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-06: 11:40:00

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