thoil (verb)(Source: wiktionary.com)
- (Yorkshire) To be able to justify the expense of a purchase.
- I loved those red shoes but I couldn't thoil it in addition to the new dress I'd bought.
As always, it's hard to tell whether this word is actually widely used or not (I could only find a few sources besides wiktionary, and they seem to have copied the definition verbatim from eachother), but it doesn't really matter: if it doesn't exist I think we should invent it, because it's really useful.
There are lots of dolls I want which I could technically afford, but can't really justify buying. Sometimes it's because would mean not being able to afford other things, sometimes it's just... too expensive to feel like fun, you know? When people talk about grail dolls it seems it's often rare vintage dolls, limited edition dolls, or just dolls that are impossibly expensive for whatever reason. Mine, on the other hand, are mostly just semiexpensive dolls that show up regularly on eBay or Mandarake, but that I just can't quite bring myself to shell out for. Depending on circumstances, it could even be an overpriced thrift store doll with an interesting face that I would like to own some day, but not for $10.
John aka oak23 mentioned he calls his "white whale dolls", because hunting them down would be more work than it's worth, but mine usually aren't even hard to find. Mostly they're just slightly too expensive. So: thoil dolls!
What about you? Are yours grail, thoil or white whale?
I managed to snag my two grails, so now they're all thoils. I was actually sitting here right now thinking "That's a nice doll, but I don't know if I want to pay $XYZ for her..." when this popped up in my blog roll, so the timing is perfect! Now I have a word for this situation! ;)
ReplyDeleteGood word. Mine are mostly thoil, I have one or two that I'd call grail, even though I wouldn't pay more than a certain sum of money. But a Basics Ken for example, I like that guy a lot, but no way I'm paying 100+$ for something that was originally released for 10-20$!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, mine are grail dolls, but I currently have purchased my grail dolls and I have not added any to my list. Although lately, I have been buying lots of dolls even though they are not grails. Curses, "thoiled" again! (I just had to say that!)
ReplyDelete@jSarie That's why I like the word: it perfectly captures that feeling I think we've all had about spending money on dolls.
ReplyDelete@BlackKitty I feel the same about Basics Ken, except I suspect they were closer to $100 around here when they were released, which I guess means they... started out as thoil dolls? Man, this got complicated!
@Phyllis I'm glad you said it. After all, someone had to. :D
I guess one of the dolls I want is a thoil. I just saw one on eBay a month or so ago that went for $188. Nope, not paying that much. It's still possible I might find one at a better price someday.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, getting the dolls I want is largely a matter of time. Of course, most of the dolls I want are inexpensive, but I am also looking at a couple of the Wilde Imagination Miette dolls, which are about $180. I saw them at the Tonner convention "in the vinyl" and decided I wanted to add them to my collection.
LOL @ Phyllis' "thoiled," comment. Being naturally cheap makes every situation a thoil one. My brain short circuits if something costs more than I want it to.
ReplyDeleteI'm playing with this word, still not sure what to do with it, but it seems to fit soooo many situations...
ReplyDelete@Barb the Evil Genius A thoil doll could be a white whale if you have to search high and low for a good price? Or it could be either, depending on how you look at it.
ReplyDelete@Muff Me too, that's why I feel thoil describes my wishlist dolls better than grail.
@IHime It really does! Like I said, I think we need this word...
I going to have to use that word on my husband!
ReplyDelete