The Washington Post's Style Invitational has again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary and alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, to supply a new definition. Here are some winners:
arachnoleptic fit the frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web beelzebug Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out bozone the substance surrounding stupid people, which stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future. burglesque a poorly planned break-in cashtration the act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. caterpallor the color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating decafalon the grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you Dopeler effect the tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly foreploy any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of obtaining sex giraffiti vandalism spray-painted very, very high glibido all talk and no action hipatitis terminal coolness ignoranus a person who's both stupid and an asshole inoculatte to take coffee intravenously when you are running late intaxication euphoria at getting a refund from the IRS, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with Karmageddon It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like a serious bummer. osteopornosis a degenerate disease reintarnation coming back to life as a hillbilly sarchasm the gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the recipient who doesn't get it tatyr a lecherous Mr. Potato Head