Vote for the best verboticism.

'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.

Create | Read

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.

Marygoround

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: merēgōround

Sentence: Mary loves to look busy. That*s the key. She likes to LOOK busy. She is a regular Marygoround. Round and round she goes getting nowhere. If she did any real work or took any initiative she could be criticized and that would upset her.

Etymology: Mary (a common first name) + merry-go-round (a revolving machine with model horses or other animals on which people ride for amusement)

| Comments and Points

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

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Laborfeign

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: LAY - bor - fain

Sentence: Elliot was an absolute master of laborfeign and had his boss and almost all of his office mates convinced he was struggling to achieve results while in reality he was accomplishing nothing, nor even putting forth any real effort.

Etymology: Blend of 'labor' (work), and 'feign' (to represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of)

| Comments and Points

Filibluster

Created by: pinwheel

Pronunciation: fill/ee/blust/er

Sentence: Jemima spent the whole day working out what she would do if she won the lottery and managed to filibluster her way out of being given any new assignments.

Etymology: filibuster (using delaying tactics) + bluster (noisy bluffing)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

excellent! - Jabberwocky, 2007-05-01: 10:28:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Biznify

Created by: thinkbolt

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Strategery

Created by: Javeson1

Pronunciation: stra-TEE-juh-ree

Sentence: the president believes we should use strategery with this delicate situation.

Etymology: it's from an SNL skit of a debate between gore and bush... this was an SNL bushism. after all, isn't the definition of this word all the president really ever does anyway???

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

by the way, who'se noticed the growing amount and variation of colors in these sketches??? - Javeson1, 2007-05-01: 20:42:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Fauduction

zrotv

Created by: zrotv

Pronunciation: fō-dŭk'shən

Sentence: no one was really doing anything productive, but when the boss came in we were all heavily engaged in fauduction, so no superiors were the wiser. (also, to fauduce, or fauducing)

Etymology: faux + production

| Comments and Points

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).

| Comments and Points

Workillude

Created by: mercurious2001

Pronunciation: worl/il/lude

Sentence: I spent all day trying to workillude so that my boss stays happy.

Etymology: work and illusion

| Comments and Points

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"

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

playdohheart 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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

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...