vworp

English

Etymology

Imitative of the sound made by the TARDIS in Doctor Who (originally produced by sound technician Brian Hodgson by electronically modifying a recording of a key scraping along a piano string).

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: vwôrp, IPA^(key): /vwɔɹp/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /vwɔːp/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)p

Interjection

vworp

1. (onomatopoeia) Representing the sound made by teleporting or dematerialising/rematerialising.
   • 2005 March 31, Clayton, “Re: [PW!] To the Tourney”, in alt.games.nintendo.pokemon (Usenet):

     With a vworp of displaced air, a Double of Bob appeared. Every detail was perfect save the eyes for some reason unknown. Instead of their clear blue, they were the deep green usually associated with impending violence. Nobody was looking so nobody noticed however.

   • 2010 February 18, "danw" ("DAWootan"), {ASSM} OTEC_204_Years, alt.sex.stories.moderated:

     A cyclic wheezing, groaning noise began as Vin approach the back wall. The vworp vworp noise was synchronized with a flashing blue light on top, as the gigantic three-dimensional holographic wall displayed a London 1950 police call box. Vin snatched the door open, stepping inside.

   • 2014 February 23, Drew Perron, MISC: Spies With Badges: "Junior Spies The First Movie", rec.arts.comics.creative, Usenet:

     A voice cackled all evil-like and then lightning struck the tower and with a vworp it disappeared! Gosh!

   • 2019, Lucy A. Snyder, While the Black Stars Burn:

     No sooner had the spell been cast than it was broken by a sound from outside the castle; the loud, rough, grinding, metallic grunting sound—vworp-vworp-vworp!—of some machine trying to come to life or die quickly.