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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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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: exertion + sham

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COMMENTS:

as long as the dog walkers don't shampoop and scoop - Jabberwocky, 2007-05-01: 10:36:00

i need someone to walk my shampoodle - rikboyee, 2007-05-01: 18:10:00

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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)

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COMMENTS:

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

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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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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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Borecast

Created by: thefreewheeler

Pronunciation: boar kast

Sentence: I didn't catch Ted's borecast yesterday, so I asked him what he wad doing.

Etymology: casting: spread; similar to broadcast

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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)

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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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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)

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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"

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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

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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

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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...