Meaning of gnome-napping | Babel Free

Definitions

A prank in which one steals a garden gnome and then either leaves it posed in a public place or photographs it in front of tourist locations.

countable, uncountable

Examples

“There has always been plenty of gnome-napping in Adelaide, but there were no ransom notes for our dog, and it didn't turn up in any obvious places such as on the university lawns.”

“Mayor Rosenbaum: Considering the seriousness of the situation—hehe, not to mention my impending reelection campaign—I'm setting up a task force to deal with the gnome-nappings. Officer Halcroft will get right on it.”

“The front's activities are similar to "gnome-nappings" in Australia that David Hult detailed in 1988 and Jan Brunvand described again in 1989.”

“There is a clandestine international conspiracy behind these gnome-nappings, similar in scope and complexity to those organized to perform crop circle hoaxes and stage UFO sightings.”

“In recent years the craze of “gnome- napping”. has been gathering pace.”

“They also, in view of the fact that Inspector Tait had just rung in to report that Annabel Yardley knew nothing about any gnome-napping expeditions by her weekend guests, put another question-mark against the gnome.”

“The gnome-napping continued unsolved for over a month, until one day, they were discovered in the soccer fields, lined up for a kickoff against a team of pink plastic flamingoes.”

CEFR level