The Wednesday Word - whipnap

Today's Wednesday word is whipnap. It is used to describe the sensation when sleepiness swerves briefly back into alertness at the moment your head drops forward during a dull lecture or presentation.

The word, as far as I can tell, was originally suggested by Julian Burnside in his book "Word watching", but here is my quote for it:

"Barry, who had no interest in large men or woman singing at the top of their lungs, whipnapped throughout the entire three-hour performance of Carmen".

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