Govende
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Govende is the name of a prank and game on the Usenet newsgroup alt.usage.english. The prank was initiated in 1996 by newsgroup participant Daniel McGrath, who posted a message to the newsgroup asking for the definition of the "word" govende (a nonsense word that he had made up himself)[1].
In subsequent threads on the newsgroup, a custom arose of providing a slightly skewed definition, then following the definition with a request for a definition of another word slightly related, in a humorous way, to the definition that was just provided.
For example: [2]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In English usage, what is a "govende"?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A puppet-king with a bad cold. What's a marionette?
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anything from the earlybird menu. What's a raisons d'être?
>>>>>>>>>>>> Grapes dried up and shriveled in the summer sun. What's au courant?
>>>>>>>>>>> Shocking. What's electrocution?
>>>>>>>>>> Japanese radio or telephone. What's a diet?
>>>>>>>>> Nothing, it always smells like that here. What's a pheromone?
>>>>>>>> Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh Baby! YES! What's a Carmelite?
>>>>>>> Reduced-fat confectionery. What's Tofutti?
>>>>>> A lactose-free sexual initiation rite of the Trobrianders. What is Cosi fan tutte?
>>>>> A small ice-cream van playing Mozart melodies. What's a Neapolitan?
>>>> A recently coined Metropolitan. What's an Orthodox Archbishop?
>>> Dr Scholls in a seminary. What is the coming of the lord?
>> The ritual that followed the washing of his hair. What's an ablution?
> A cosmetic cream used to make tummy muscles look smooth. What's Botox?
A cuckoo clock shaped like a bikini model. What's a bolero?
(etc...)
