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.
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.
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.
Intensgiftfy
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: in/tens/gift/fie
Sentence: Quick, we'd better intensgiftfy the weeping madonna by taking her out from behind the couch and seating her at the table.
Etymology: intensify + 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 when they arrive at the front door.
Etymology: GIFTQUESTER - verb - from GIFT (a present) + SEQUESTER (to remove, or withdraw into solitude, or retirement; seclude)
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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Displayaway
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: dis-play-ah-way
Sentence: Every year, Mom gives me a displayaway or closet deposit for Christmas, which is why my good clothes and trinkets are now stacked throughout my bedroom.
Etymology: display, away
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COMMENTS:
Quite clever. Good one. - Tigger, 2007-12-16: 16:36:00
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Curiotrocity
Created by: porsche
Pronunciation: kuri/oh/traw/city
Sentence: A curiotrocity is a curio that is so atrocious that it defies description. I have several.
Etymology: curio + atrocity
Movemento
Created by: silveryaspen
Pronunciation: move ment oh!
Sentence: My mother considered the oddly shaped, oddly colored vase high class. It was so ugly, I called it hide class. But I didn't want to hurt mom's feelings, so if she was coming, it became the gift of grab and display. The minute she left it was the gift of grab and hide away. It was a real movemento.
Etymology: MOVENTS, MEMENTO. MOVEMENTS - taking from hiding place to pride of place, then from pride of place to hiding place, repeatedly. MEMENTO - another synonym for a gift, especially a gift of remembrance!
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COMMENTS:
Movemento dear! Deliciously evocative of that sinking feeling of guilt :) - dochanne, 2008-12-16: 01:54:00
wonderful combo - Jabberwocky, 2008-12-16: 11:24:00
Good word - TJayzz, 2008-12-16: 13:15:00
I thought it wuz gunna be about an Italian Opera. Works well though. - Mustang, 2008-12-16: 21:01:00
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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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Showgiz
Created by: Lidipop
Pronunciation: ssh-oh-g-iz
Sentence: Sweety, get your mothers gifts out of the closet...it's time to "showgiz" them!!! :)
Etymology: show case + gift + gizmos
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie Thank you kabloozie ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie. ~ James