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.
Pseudoeffortize
Created by: Pasicheio
Pronunciation: Sue-Doe-Eff-Or-Ties
Sentence: IN an effort to avoid assignments, Dave would pseudoeffortize in the hopes of being passed by
Etymology: Pseudo; Effort
Shirkcrafting
Created by: jedijawa
Pronunciation: shirk-craft-ing
Sentence: Betsy has honed the skill of shirkcrafting so that she can manage to get no work done during a day with nobody being the wiser.
Etymology: shirk + crafting
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)
Toiletraining
Created by: HubbMU
Pronunciation: toilet/training
Sentence: In order to avoid the gaze of his supervisor, Don decided to make time in his schedule for toiletraining.
Etymology: Toilet and training
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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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)
Hyperinaction
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: hīpərinakshən
Sentence: Bob works for the government. His job is subject to political whims. He has become the master of hyperinaction. He will create a flurry of activity only to reverse course and undo everything ha has just done. The bottom line is to look ever busy but to do nothing that will create waves and put his job in jeopardy.
Etymology: hyperactive (abnormally or extremely active) + inaction (lack of action where some is expected or appropriate)
Fauxworker
Created by: Splosion
Pronunciation: pho-werk-er
Sentence: Mary's just a fauxworker: she doesn't really do anything all day.
Etymology:
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)
Scampress
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: skam-PRESS
Sentence: Jonathan had various ways to scampress his coworkers and supervisors by making it appear that he was not only hard at work but was performing above and beyond his experience level while actually being totally incompetent in his real job.
Etymology: Blend of the words 'scam' (a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation) and 'impress' (influence in opinion)
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...