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'It's all strategic positioning.'

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.

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Verboticisms

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You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Sleightofhandyman

Created by: ziggy41

Pronunciation: slyte-ov-han-dee-man

Sentence: Watch Joe over there, his use of sleightofhandyman may make a manager think twice about giving him work, but he's been nailing that same nail for the past hour.

Etymology: Sleight of hand (trickery, deception) + handyman (a worker hired to do various jobs)

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Fluffjob

Created by: Osomatic

Pronunciation: fluff + job

Sentence: I can't possibly help you with your project, I'm busy already with my fluffjob.

Etymology: From the swedish "flufjobba."

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Conshymime

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: KON-she-mahym

Sentence: Bob was the marcel-marceau of merchandising, going silently about his business, coshymimimg his every unproductive move assiduously.

Etymology: CONSHY(Conch): a hard worker, often with the connotation of one who "sucks-up" to the boss; from SE: conscientous) & MIME: the art or technique of portraying a character, mood, idea, by gestures and bodily movements; to play or act out a part; imitate (familiar).

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Nyetworking

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: n-yet-working

Sentence: No one quite understood what Brian did all day, but he was frequently seen corridor cruising with clipboard under his arm and dropping into offices for "urgent, critical" meetings that never achieved anything. He was excellent at nyetworking.

Etymology: nyet (no in Russian) + network + work

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COMMENTS:

nyice! - wordmeister, 2007-05-01: 09:03:00

I like it too. Notworking would have worked (or not) as well, but this is more creative and describes shwirking. - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 09:28:00

wish I had more votes to hand out today - very clever word and you can just imagine the cartoon character saying it - Jabberwocky, 2007-05-01: 10:42:00

OK Jabber - I'll give up one of mine. - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 10:59:00

OK Jabber - I'll give up one of mine. - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 11:04:00

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Camofile

Created by: Akarroa

Pronunciation: Kam-oh-file

Sentence: Artie was achieving a high score on Tetris when he heard the sound of his boss's cheap leather shoes squeaking down the hall; a cue to camofile.

Etymology: Camoflauge, file

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COMMENTS:

Good one! - Nosila, 2009-11-17: 17:46:00

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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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Fauxworker

Created by: Splosion

Pronunciation: pho-werk-er

Sentence: Mary's just a fauxworker: she doesn't really do anything all day.

Etymology:

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Accounterinsurgent

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: ack-ount-er-in-serge-ant

Sentence: Ted believed in subverting the system from within by doing as little as possible. He clicked between spreadsheets while gazing into middle distance. No one knew it, but he was proud to be an accounterinsurgent.

Etymology: Accounts (money, esp in business) + counter (a desk from behind which service is given) + counterinsurgency (combating guerrilla warfare)

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Managingdeflector

Created by: porsche

Pronunciation: man/aj/ing/de/flek/tor

Sentence: The managingdeflector in our firm had a job that no one could explain but he was paid a ton of money for walking around with his headset and blackberry

Etymology: managing director + deflect

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Feignchorious

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: fane/chor/ee/us

Sentence: Stu was so feignchorious that he had the entire office convinced he was seriously overworked when, in fact, the stack of files on his desk were filled with sudoku puzzles.

Etymology: feign (pretend) + chore + vainglorious

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-05-01: 00:31:00
Today's definition was suggested by petaj.
Thank you petaj! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-05-01: 01:33:00
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

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2008-07-17: 00:58:00
A word that NEEDS no introduction...