Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v., To facilitate camaraderie among your colleagues by making fun at your boss's expense, only to discover that you-know-who is standing right behind you. n., A professional faux pas made with the best intentions.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Detaunt
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: dātônt
Sentence: In an act of detaunt, Jesse performed his best impression of the boss firing one of his workers. He is convinced that he added to the camaraderie in the office and that people would have laughed if the boss hadn*t gotten to work early and taken over the performance for real.
Etymology: détente (the easing of hostility or strained relations) + taunt (a remark made in order to anger, wound, or provoke someone)
Shenanigaffe
Created by: Tigger
Pronunciation: shə-nān'ĭ-gāf
Sentence: Marta usually got a laugh from her coworkers when she would imitate her boss, asking if they remembered to use a cover sheet on their TPS reports, but she eventually realized she'd made a shenanigaffe when their eyes went wide and they began making subtle motions with their hands, pointing behind her.
Etymology: shenanigan - a playful or mischievous act (Origin: 1850–55, Americanism; of obscure orig.) + gaffe - a clumsy social error; a faux pas (from Old French, "hook")
Steambuilding
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: steam-building
Sentence: Delia indulged in steambuilding one time too many. The boss finally erupted, snorting coffee out of his nose then bundling her down to the HR department.
Etymology: steam (coming out of the bosses ears) + team building
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
funny - Jabberwocky, 2007-11-23: 14:50:00
excellent - franke, 2007-11-23: 22:18:00
Clever:good word! - OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-25: 23:06:00
----------------------------
Crewcify
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: kroō/sə/fī
Sentence: The fact that Nelson's former boss had no discernible sense of humor made it all the worse when he chose to act as jeerleader for his flock of mockingnerds. It turned out to be an act of jobacide as Mr. Seether chose to crewcify the entire pod of pink-slippers with a swift crewcut.
Etymology: crew (a group of people who work closely together) crucify (put (someone) to death by nailing or binding them to a cross)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
you hit the nail on the head with this one - Jabberwocky, 2008-10-21: 12:10:00
WoW! Action-packed sentence, that! Good one, A! - metrohumanx, 2008-10-23: 17:06:00
----------------------------
Tomteamery
Created by: remistram
Pronunciation: tom-teem-uh-ree
Sentence: Ever since the boss got a new hair piece the tomteamery has been non-stop.
Etymology: tomfoolery (joke around, goof off)+ team
Lamploy
Created by: MrDave2176
Pronunciation: v.:lam-PLOY / n.:lam-PLOY-ee
Sentence: Marjorie was lambusted when her boss found her acting the lamployee during bagle-time. lambusted: to be lamploying and get caught by the boss.
Etymology: lampoon is the root for lamployee but lambast is the root for lambust.
Hijinxed
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: hi/jinxed
Sentence: I've been hijinxed several times trying to bolster dispirited colleagues.
Etymology: hijinks + jinxed
Lampooched
Created by: xirtam
Pronunciation: lam-pōōch-ed
Sentence: Larry lampooched himself out of another job when his boss walked in to the breakroom and found Larry doing imitations of him in front of the other employees.
Etymology: Lampoon: To mock or ridicule. + Pooch: Slang - To blunder.
Paronody
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: per o no dee
Sentence: Shelley was always the life of the party, even at work. She could imitate anybody, but especially her boss, Fred. Unfortunately, Fred gave her lots of material to work with. Like many bosses, Fred was always too busy to answer his staff's concerns. If you wanted to get his attention, it was usually a challenge. Unfortunately for Shelley, Fred also had a knack for showing up when she least expected him. If you talked to him, he would not hear, but if you talked about him, he had omnipresent hearing. Fred could managerialize out of thin air. This happened on Shelley's last day of work, when she was doing her paronody of Fred dancing at the Christmas party. "Out, Shelley", he yelled..."you will be a slambossador no more"!
Etymology: Parody (humorous or satirical mimicry; a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way) & Oh No! (Exclamation of regret, remorse, unpleassant surprise...like SNL's Mr.Bill who always said "OHHH NOOOOO!)
Bossted
Created by: suzanne
Pronunciation: Boss + Ted
Sentence: When he heard her perfectly produce his drawling accent he walked in and bossted her.
Etymology: Boss - person who orders you around, and whom you obey in return for money. busted- to be caught very emphatically.
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
sin a bhfuil - suzanne, 2007-11-24: 20:19:00
----------------------------
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by Mustang. Thank you Mustang! ~ James
Mustang - 2007-11-23: 02:38:00
What a pleasant surprise to find one of my submissions on display! It's inspiring. :-)
Congratulations Mustang! I am sure your Boss is also quite thrilled. ~ James
Mustang - 2007-11-23: 08:17:00
When I retired 20+ yrs ago I WAS the boss. :-)
Well, you're the still big boss here! ~ James
Jabberwocky - 2007-11-23: 12:12:00
nice save James - I think you just got caught making fun of the boss
Are you trying to fundermine my steambuilding efforts? ~ James
The warm-up act must have been the bossanova.
galwaywegian - 2008-10-21: 08:47:00
extempoorise
galwaywegian - 2008-10-21: 08:47:00
oops
Today's definition was suggested by Mustang. Thank you Mustang. ~ James