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.
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
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Good word. Dunno why nobody else has voted for it yet. - ErWenn, 2007-05-01: 22:06:00
----------------------------
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
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
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
good one - Nosila, 2009-11-17: 17:48:00
----------------------------
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
Fantasimulabor
Created by: metrohumanx
Pronunciation: FANT-UH-SIM-YOU-LAY-BURR
Sentence: Since reading was prohibited at the library's circulation desk, everyone engaged in various degrees of FANTASIMULABOR. One portly cretin had been at it for so long that she actually believed FANTASIMULABOR would bring her academic accolades aplenty. Using smoke and mirrors, she had turned PROductivity into CONductivity. Her work ethic was so well camouflaged as to be completely undetectable, and the deception was made complete by her total lack of anything resembling a personality.
Etymology: FANTAsy+SIMUlated+LABOR
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
I LOVE retirement!
Ars longa vita brevis. - metrohumanx, 2008-07-17: 00:56:00
great sentence - Jabberwocky, 2008-07-17: 14:10:00
She should read "Personality for Dummies" Terrific sentence. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-07-20: 07:15:00
----------------------------
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.
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
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
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)
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...