Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To create an illusion of busyness so that your co-workers, and most importantly your boss, never realize that you have absolutely nothing to do. n. A person who pretends to be very busy.
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.
Industriouscreen
Created by: Goldentongue
Pronunciation: Ind-os-trios-creen
Sentence: My God, that Edwards sure looks busy, although I can't recall asigning him any new tasks. He is an adept industriouscreener, I wonder if industrioscreenship can be tought?
Etymology: Industrious: hard working: Screen:concealment
Exertsham
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: exert/sham
Sentence: The illusion of working is an age old problem and is also known as walking the dog, a government job, or exertsham.
Etymology: EXERTSHAM - noun - from EXERT (to put oneself into strenuous, vigorous action, or effort)+ SHAM (something that is not what it purports to be; a fraud, or hoax)
Workplacebo
Created by: toadstool57
Pronunciation: work-plA-cE-bo
Sentence: Jill is considered the workplacebo, acting so busy the boss often comments that all his employees should use her as thier role model. She should get an oscar for her acting in the office.
Etymology: work place/placebo, as in fake
Slackofflage
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /ˈslækəˌflɔʒ/
Sentence: The key to successful slackofflage is an untidy workspace; if your boss can identify each paper on your desk and window on your computer screen, then you've already lost.
Etymology: From "slack off" + "camouflage"
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COMMENTS:
nice. - playdohheart, 2007-05-01: 07:12:00
Thanks. - ErWenn, 2007-05-01: 09:20:00
Nice word, I tried going down the camouflage path but I couldn't come up with anything. Cheers! - Goldentongue, 2007-05-01: 10:14:00
Funny! - HubbMU, 2007-05-03: 12:52:00
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Exertsham
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: exert/sham
Sentence: The illusion of working is an age old problem and is also known as walking the dog, a government job, or exertsham.
Etymology: exertion + sham
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COMMENTS:
as long as the dog walkers don't shampoop and scoop - Jabberwocky, 2007-05-01: 10:36:00
i need someone to walk my shampoodle - rikboyee, 2007-05-01: 18:10:00
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Feigndustrious
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: fayn - dus - tree - us
Sentence: On his good days Harold was feigndustrious as he at least pretended to be busy for most of the day. On his bad days, he sat at his desk and played solitaire with a deck of cards but no one seemed to notice but me.
Etymology: fein, industrious
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COMMENTS:
good one - Nosila, 2009-11-17: 17:48:00
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Graftdodging
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: graft doj ing
Sentence: he was a devout graftdodger who had at least three sabbaths a week
Etymology: draft dodger, hard graft
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COMMENTS:
Good word. Dunno why nobody else has voted for it yet. - ErWenn, 2007-05-01: 22:06:00
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Pseudoeffortize
Created by: Pasicheio
Pronunciation: Sue-Doe-Eff-Or-Ties
Sentence: IN an effort to avoid assignments, Dave would pseudoeffortize in the hopes of being passed by
Etymology: Pseudo; Effort
Busybodiness
Created by: allawson
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Katrevor sunk down behind her computer to in busybodiness in hopes that her boss would not notice.
Etymology: At work!
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COMMENTS:
Thing is, by the rules of English morphology, "busybodiness" should mean: The state of being a busybody. A "busybody" is a nosey, meddlesome person. - cacarr, 2018-08-22: 03:34:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by petaj.
Thank you petaj! ~ James
Congratulations to petaj for her win last week. We are offering a new Verbotomy Cup for the top player this week. And next week, we are doing theme on Cory Doctorow, and offering his newest book "Overclocked" as a prize to the top writer. See more about Cory at his blog www.craphound.com ~ James
A word that NEEDS no introduction...