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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

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.

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

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Fauxworker

Created by: Splosion

Pronunciation: pho-werk-er

Sentence: Mary's just a fauxworker: she doesn't really do anything all day.

Etymology:

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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)

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Slackrobat

karenanne

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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Nyetworking

petaj

Created by: petaj

Pronunciation: n-yet-working

Sentence: No one quite understood what Brian did all day, but he was frequently seen corridor cruising with clipboard under his arm and dropping into offices for "urgent, critical" meetings that never achieved anything. He was excellent at nyetworking.

Etymology: nyet (no in Russian) + network + work

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COMMENTS:

nyice! - wordmeister, 2007-05-01: 09:03:00

I like it too. Notworking would have worked (or not) as well, but this is more creative and describes shwirking. - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 09:28:00

wish I had more votes to hand out today - very clever word and you can just imagine the cartoon character saying it - Jabberwocky, 2007-05-01: 10:42:00

OK Jabber - I'll give up one of mine. - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 10:59:00

OK Jabber - I'll give up one of mine. - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 11:04:00

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Busifake

Created by: remistram

Pronunciation: biz-ee-fayk

Sentence: Weldon's favorite time killer was playing sudoku, as he busifaked the day away.

Etymology: busy + 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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Biznify

Created by: thinkbolt

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Mockupy

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: mok u pye

Sentence: Jason could mockupy his entire 8 hour work day doing nothing. He applied stealth and cunning to avoid the boss, new assignments or answering phones. He was seldom at his desk and no one could exactly pinpoint how he filled his day. This actually was no surprise to his boss, as he was also Jason's father and Jason used the same tactics at home.

Etymology: Mock (constituting a copy or imitation of something) & Occupy (keep busy with)

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Workastallic

Created by: Jabberwocky

Pronunciation: wurk/a/stahl/ik

Sentence: Jim was such a workastallic that, while giving the impression that he never let go of a project, he was in fact seriously stalling (and checking out verbotomy on the side)

Etymology: workaholic + stall

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COMMENTS:

Oh yes.. that's good! - pinwheel, 2007-05-01: 06:37:00

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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...