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.
Marygoround
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)
Busillusion
Created by: Ellemorpheus
Pronunciation: Biz-ill-you-shon
Sentence: Bob had nothing to do but did not want his boss to give him more work, so he created busillusion.
Etymology: bus-business/busy illusion
Taskmasker
Created by: purpleartichokes
Pronunciation: task-mass-kur
Sentence: Phil was a professional taskmasker; I don't know how he was able to look busy all the time when everyone knew he had absolutely nothing to do.
Etymology: taskmaster, mask
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COMMENTS:
excellent! - toadstool57, 2007-05-01: 07:15:00
one LOL and one vote for you. - ohwtepph, 2007-05-01: 09:39:00
Nice word Artichokes! - Goldentongue, 2007-05-01: 10:11:00
great word purple - Jabberwocky, 2007-05-01: 10:38:00
Thanks! - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 12:41:00
Fantastic, as always. - Osomatic, 2007-05-01: 13:47:00
Hmmm - I wonder who you are referring to? - paperhoard, 2007-05-01: 14:58:00
Phil is an "imaginary" coworker. He excels at imagining himself working. - purpleartichokes, 2007-05-01: 15:15:00
Brilliant. - petaj, 2007-05-02: 05:40:00
That's awesome! - jedijawa, 2007-05-03: 13:27:00
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Feignchorious
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: fane/chor/ee/us
Sentence: Stu was so feignchorious that he had the entire office convinced he was seriously overworked when, in fact, the stack of files on his desk were filled with sudoku puzzles.
Etymology: feign (pretend) + chore + vainglorious
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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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:
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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Feigndustrious
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: fayn - dus - tree - us
Sentence: On his good days Harold was feigndustrious as he at least pretended to be busy for most of the day. On his bad days, he sat at his desk and played solitaire with a deck of cards but no one seemed to notice but me.
Etymology: fein, industrious
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COMMENTS:
good one - Nosila, 2009-11-17: 17:48:00
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Nyetworking
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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Fluffjob
Created by: Osomatic
Pronunciation: fluff + job
Sentence: I can't possibly help you with your project, I'm busy already with my fluffjob.
Etymology: From the swedish "flufjobba."
Fauxworker
Created by: Splosion
Pronunciation: pho-werk-er
Sentence: Mary's just a fauxworker: she doesn't really do anything all day.
Etymology:
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...