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.
Slackrobat
Created by: karenanne
Pronunciation: SLAK ro bat
Sentence: Robb is a talented slackrobat. He is quick and agile in his avoidance of being pinned down to actual work. His knowledge of media production enables him to circulate around his workplace claiming to be "working on a project." He has two homepage tabs set on his browser so that if someone approaches while he is working on the Verbotomy site, he can quickly click on the other tab, which is his employer's Intranet site.
Etymology: slack(er) + acrobat
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COMMENTS:
Most offices are three-ringed circuses, so they need more slackrobats! - Nosila, 2009-11-17: 17:47:00
Clever...best word of the day! - mweinmann, 2009-11-18: 07:47:00
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Knoemotion
Created by: abrakadeborah
Pronunciation: No-Moe-shun
Sentence: Able was in the midst of knoemotion all hours of the day. He would constantly ask, "is there anything I can help you with?" When I knew I could finish the project quicker than I could explain what he already knew needed to be done.
Etymology: Know - A play on the word know and no. Motion - Movement.
Simdiligence
Created by: badsnudge
Pronunciation: /sim ˈdi-lə-jən(t)s\
Sentence: The simdiligent Simon stopped sweeping to tie his tennis shoe. An hour later Simon was found still 'tying' his shoe, with his head on his knee and softly snoring.
Etymology: sim- simulated diligence- diligence
Faketivity
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: fake-tiv-i-ty
Sentence: Wally was so well practiced in the art of faketivity that his pointy haired boss never knew that in 20 years he never once accomplished a single task. It was probably a good thing since Wally was so incompetent that he probably would have caused the company to go belly up if he had actually done any work. It was especially laughable that he won employee-of-the-month several times because the pointy haired boss thought he was really working hard.
Etymology: fake: having a false or misleading appearance; fraud + activity: the state of being active; energetic, lively; participate in specific pursuits (Wally is a character in the comic strip Dilbert who is always standing around holding a coffee cup, going to meetings and getting involved in conversations without ever actually working. Nevertheless he somehow always manages to stay under the pointy haired boss' radar and collect his paycheck.)
Accounterinsurgent
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)
Proletarryat
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: pro/le/tary/at
Sentence: A proletarryat is an expert at wasting time and looking oppressed.
Etymology: pro (expert) + tarry (delay) + at + proletariat (laboring class)
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).
Workfake
Created by: suzanne
Pronunciation: wur-k-fayk
Sentence: John workfaked his way home early by carrying out three telephone directories wrapped in envelopes to his car. His boss opened the door for him.
Etymology: work- to labour fake - false
Laborge
Created by: ohwtepph
Pronunciation: ley - bohrj
Sentence: It is often portrayed in television that CEOs are good at laborge-- that is making it seem like they are really working. Donald Trump has nothing to say on this.
Etymology: labor + forge (to imitate fraudulently)
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COMMENTS:
Strangely enough, forge also means, "To advance gradually but steadily", which why laborgery... Oops! Here comes my boss - wordmeister, 2007-05-01: 09:11:00
Oh, trivial! - ohwtepph, 2007-05-01: 09:41:00
Laborgery is fergery! (Since no one has gone down the "erg" path yet.) - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 13:22:00
Ah yes, how about some ergonotics. Hadn't considered that idea. - petaj, 2007-05-02: 05:38:00
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Mockupy
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: mok u pye
Sentence: Jason could mockupy his entire 8 hour work day doing nothing. He applied stealth and cunning to avoid the boss, new assignments or answering phones. He was seldom at his desk and no one could exactly pinpoint how he filled his day. This actually was no surprise to his boss, as he was also Jason's father and Jason used the same tactics at home.
Etymology: Mock (constituting a copy or imitation of something) & Occupy (keep busy with)
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...