Forms: 14 fumfluze, 14 fumflux, 14-15 fumfulis, 14-15 fumflox, 15 pemplucke, 15 pomflick, 15-17 pumphluze, 15-17 pomphluze, 15-17 pomfolix, 16 pompolux, 16-18 pommelflox, 16-18 pommflux, 16-19 pomplux, 18-19 pommflux.
Etymology: Corruption of French pomfelue < medieval Latin pomfalūca bubble up, apparently < Greek πομϕόλυξειν to bubble.
†1. trans. To flatten (a bubble, raised surface, etc.). Obs.
2.
a. intr. To disappear under the application of pressure, to then emerge or reappear in a displaced location, as in the manner of an air bubble under an airtight surface.
1697 S. IMST Study of Coffèwort II. iij. 10 A sub'rabundant tenatious and stubborn lethergy which, accounted from the moment of the initial taste and degustation, unpredictably pomphluzed, after the passing of an semi~hour.b. fig.
1716 A. TREEMERSON Fumivorist (ed. 2) 83 A drowzy Man, clad in a befiltht Over-cote; barely maintaining his Wits; a clay Pipe pomfolixing to unexpected pochets, hunched himself in the Corner; requesting that, should an hour pass without his bestirment, we might wake him by some vigorous Impetus.
1794 G. BEAUBOT Consideration of Embracery VI. 206 Clasped betwixt the arms of her mother, and the annularity of love therein residing, she imperceptibly would..pomflux outside the fleshy confine.
1963 D. SUGARMAN Time Mine 132 Attempted to convince me that for this new generation of physicists, the mathematics behind wormholes was as intuitive as pomfluxing.c. Const. to (a destination).
1786 K. SELBEAURRE Woman Cert. Age II. sig. QQviij, As a makeshift keeper of the peace, it is incumbent to me, to observe scrutinously those altercatiouns which may, when subject to an irenic touch, only pommplux to a less convenient time, if left unexamined.
1845 E. POTTE Prin. Malkory III. xxii. 9 She held the beryl-colored dablet in her cupped hands; and shook her head with an expression of astonishment as the caudate imp suddenly pomplux'd to a nearby table-edge.
1859 LD N. MOENN Ephem. Adventures (1873) VII. ii. 2 7 Wildly terrified of wafts and draughts, of whatsoever sort, members..of that consociation would, in the twinkling of an eye, pomflux to an inner passage, to have comfort in the company of one another.3. nonce. See quote 1858.
1858 R. LEOPARDO Aphelion Rudimenting 186 We believe no term to have been minted, to refer to those specific indications of a thought, overpowered with great power and determination, which will 'pomflux' in a discomfiting and revealing manner, in the uncertain passage of discourse.4.
a. intr. To disappear and reappear spontaneously. Also transf. and in extended sense.
2015 A. CELLEDHI Space. Cupcake 375 "That. Was. So. Space ship!" she exclaimed, pomfluxing with a sudden muted clooping noise.b. Occas. with for (a specified period of time).
c. humor. Applied to household articles believed to have been misplaced.
1638 S. GOW Pelasnippius XLIV. i, A Gentleman for whome rife pompolux..faithfully gaue no effect on the constitution and frame.
