Vote for the best verboticism.

'I think he's pretending that no one is home.'

DEFINITION: v., To avoid unwanted interruptions (visits, calls, or emails) by pretending to be unavailable, unreachable or unconscious. n., A person who pretends they are not home in order to avoid talking to someone.

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Verboticisms

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Hermitate

Created by: bebaibo

Pronunciation:

Sentence: Why does Bob always have that blank stare at our meetings? I think he's hermitating, so the boss won't ask him any questions.

Etymology: From hermit (a person living in solitude as a religous discipline...OED)

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Ostrichize

Created by: gobidesert

Pronunciation: awstritchize

Sentence: Uh oh, the boss is on the prowl. Perhaps I will just ostrichize in my cubicle for the next little bit.

Etymology: ostrich (head in sand) verbalized

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Zoneduff

metrohumanx

Created by: metrohumanx

Pronunciation: ZZZZone-duh-FFF (alt. zoneduffer)

Sentence: BigBob was likeable enough, but he had an annoying habit of ZONEDUFFING while you were talking to him, and you never knew how long he had been incommunicado. We did extract a measure of revenge when the whole department took a subway ride to the trade show. We all got on the train, and just before the doors closed, everyone jumped off - leaving BigBob on the express to Harlem instead of going downtown. BigBob the ZONEDUFFER stared from the rear window of the subway car as it slowly vanished into the rat-infested subterranean dimness of the "Big Apple"...and forever into our memories.

Etymology: ZONED out+ DUFF = ZONEDUFF.....zoned out: late 1960-ish phrase meaning " to withdraw into a semi-pleasant introspective state of sensory withdrawl, induced by lack of sleep or excessive ingestion of contraband".....DUFF: disparaging regional term meaning "to leave (one's comrades) abruptly, secretively or without prior warning"....."Dude! Why did you DUFF on us last night?"

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx No BigBobs were harmed in the writing of this FICTITOUS sentence.... - metrohumanx, 2008-09-17: 02:06:00

Sounds like he was zonedeaf, too! - Nosila, 2008-09-18: 01:30:00

Amidst the woes on Wall st - missed this one. Great word - OZZIEBOB, 2008-09-30: 17:49:00

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Hiddentation

MrDave2176

Created by: MrDave2176

Pronunciation: hid-den-TA-shun

Sentence: Kyle was hiddentating in the third floor conference room. He was answering emails and doing his work but his hiddentat here prevented others from coming to see him in his office and interrupting his "flow".

Etymology: hidden + habitat

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COMMENTS:

MrDave2176 I used to have a supervisor who used to do this very thing. He'd only respond to email while he was hiddentating on a conference room on an unused floor so that he would not be interrupted doing his work. - MrDave2176, 2007-10-19: 09:54:00

Good word! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-10-20: 18:14:00

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Homeevashun

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: hohmi-vey-shun

Sentence: Whenever a topic comes up at a staff meeting that he knows little about and can't talk about for four hours, Bob goes into his homeevadshun mode shutting out everything and everyone.

Etymology: HOMEEVADSHUN - play on HOME INVASION

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Truantics

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: tru ant iks

Sentence: When the meetings started, Bob commenced his truantics. He'd zone out and get that inner zen look upon his face, so that people would avoid asking him to participate and he would feel no responsibility in contributing or remembering anything. His boss wanted to shake him and ask him "Who are you and what have you done with the real Bob"?

Etymology: Truant (someone who shirks duty;absent without permission) & Antics (a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement;act as or like a clown;ludicrously odd)

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Deafhere

Created by: scrabbelicious

Pronunciation: /Deh-ef-he-ear/

Sentence: Mrs. Soul patched the call through to her secretary. "I thought I told you I wasn't here?", she said, you just have to turn a deafhere.

Etymology: Deafhere n., hybrid of the nouns deaf and here, and inspired by the phrase "to turn a deaf ear", which is a common adult tactic and defense mechanism. Is the spell checker new to this site? I just noticed it now. Don't expect a reply of course, in the circumstances I mean.

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx I have not encountered a spell checker...but definitely a double-point word, S ! - metrohumanx, 2008-09-17: 11:31:00

It must be my new browser....who thought that was a good idea? - scrabbelicious, 2008-09-18: 16:49:00

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Absentiments

Created by: abrakadeborah

Pronunciation: ab-sin-ti-ments

Sentence: Clay's absentiments in training class didn't fool anyone. He often zones out at work and turns off in life all together.

Etymology: Absent-Not existent; lacking. Sentiment-The expression of delicate and sensitive feeling. Putting parts of both words together making "Absentiments."

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COMMENTS:

Love it, but already spent my votes... - Nosila, 2011-07-02: 19:50:00

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Comapose

Created by: TJayzz

Pronunciation: Co-ma-po-z

Sentence: Whenever Colin entered a meeting he would suddenly go into a comapose to avoid any awkward questions that may come his way. The meeting would carry on regardless as everyone knew that Colin would not make a full recovery until the meeting was over.

Etymology: Coma(a state of deep unconsciousness) ORIGIN Greek Koma 'deep sleep' + Pose(assume a particular position, pretend to be) = Comapose

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COMMENTS:

nice! - galwaywegian, 2008-09-17: 07:29:00

metrohumanx Stunning def! - metrohumanx, 2008-09-17: 11:29:00

funny - Jabberwocky, 2008-09-17: 14:03:00

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Stonify

Created by: Windyo

Pronunciation: stone-i-fy

Sentence: Everytime i see this guy, i stonify. I just don't want him to speak to me.

Etymology: to act like stone

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-10-19: 00:01:00
Today's definition was suggested by MrDave2176. Thank you MrDave2176! ~ James

Osmosis - 2007-10-21: 23:15:00
Perhaps "denysolation" would be better for this definition and sentence.

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-02-16: 00:17:00
Today's definition was suggested by MrDave2176. Thank you MrDave2176. ~ James