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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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You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Knoemotion

Created by: abrakadeborah

Pronunciation: No-Moe-shun

Sentence: Able was in the midst of knoemotion all hours of the day. He would constantly ask, "is there anything I can help you with?" When I knew I could finish the project quicker than I could explain what he already knew needed to be done.

Etymology: Know - A play on the word know and no. Motion - Movement.

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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)

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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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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

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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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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.

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Fantasimulabor

metrohumanx

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

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx 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

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Imitoil

Created by: iwasatripwire

Pronunciation: im-ih-toil

Sentence: "Tip 14: Constantly making trips to the photocopier is a great way to look busy AND get in some exercise." --from Imitoiling for Dummies

Etymology: imitate + toil

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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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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

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COMMENTS:

Good word. Dunno why nobody else has voted for it yet. - ErWenn, 2007-05-01: 22:06:00

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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...