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.
Dilbertification
Created by: pepperpatti
Pronunciation: dil-bur-ti-fi-kashun (after first two syllables, pronounced like identification)
Sentence: Since he started despising his job, he's been dilbertificating every day.
Etymology: origins trace back to Dilbert, a comic strip character created by Scott Adams that has since become the mascot of cubicle workers everywhere.
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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Fauxworker
Created by: Splosion
Pronunciation: pho-werk-er
Sentence: Mary's just a fauxworker: she doesn't really do anything all day.
Etymology:
Puttermucking
Created by: paperhoard
Pronunciation: putter-muck-ing
Sentence: I'm in a haiku mood today: Boss walks in the room... Puttermucking sounds elevate... Office silent chuckles...
Etymology: putter = do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly. muck = nonsense; worthless talk or literature; trash.
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)
Shamployee
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sham ploy ee
Sentence: Sam was a shamployee. He spent a lot of energy avoiding real work by pretending to be busy. He gets hundreds of calls and e-mails a day (from family, friends, telemarketers) and he has to go to endless rounds of meetings with outside contacts and on many missions to customers outside the building (movie theatres, restaurants, casinos.) Sam's not alone...there is a Sam in most companies: The Loafer in the shoe store or bakery; the Abstainer in the paint company; the Clock-Watcher in the Watch Factory; The Wool-gatherer in the sheep station; The Idler in the mechanic shop; The Slacker in the men's wear store;The Sluggard in the Garden Centre; The Lazybones at the Orthopedic Surgeon's; the Trifler in the cake shop...they are everywhere!
Etymology: Sham (something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be;a person who makes deceitful pretenses;make believe with the intent to deceive) & Employee (a worker who is hired to perform a job)
Choreshaminvention
Created by: TJayzz
Pronunciation: Chor-sham-in-vent-shun
Sentence: Charles had perfected the art of the Choreshaminvention, whereby he would spend all day at his desk looking so busy when he was actually doing nothing at all. His co-workers began to wonder how he managed to cope with the workload. In fact he was so good at it that he was thinking about writing a book and perhaps even a film script about his talent
Etymology: Chore(a routine or tedious task) ORIGIN Variant of obsolete Char or Chare + Sham (Pretence, bogus, false) ORIGIN Northern English dialect variant of SHAME. + Invention (Something invented, a false story) = Choreshaminvention
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COMMENTS:
a film and a book?? way too much work - Jabberwocky, 2008-07-17: 14:07:00
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Skivedriver
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: skyv dryv er
Sentence: We've all worked with them. The skivedriver. The co-worker who can avoid real work, like a spy can elude a tail. The skivedriver puts all his energy and efforts into shirking his responsibilities. The skivedriver thinks he is clever, but how satisfying is spending your day going on bathroom breaks, wandering the halls, hiding in plain sight, having constant doctor and dentist appointments, going home sick or evading anything meaningful to earn your keep? Sooner or later, someone calls his bluff...
Etymology: Skive (to not be at work or school when you should be there) & Driver (person with a physiological state corresponding to a strong need or desire;chase from cover into more open ground)
Defartmentalize
Created by: lumina
Pronunciation: dee/fart/men/tul/ize
Sentence: Josh was able to convince everyone in the office that he was on top of several projects at once. He had the ability to defartmentalize any project thrown his way. Yes, he had gotten so good at allocating everything to others on the sly, that he considered himself the Head of the Customer Service Defartment.
Etymology: Root word: Departmentalize: To organize something into departments. Phrase: fart around: To waste time.
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COMMENTS:
I think my boss is the defartment head. What should I do? - reverb, 2008-07-19: 06:42:00
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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...