Vote for the best verboticism.

'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.

Create | Read

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.

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)

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Fauxworker

Created by: Splosion

Pronunciation: pho-werk-er

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

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Hyperinaction

artr

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)

| Comments and Points

Conshymime

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: KON-she-mahym

Sentence: Bob was the marcel-marceau of merchandising, going silently about his business, coshymimimg his every unproductive move assiduously.

Etymology: CONSHY(Conch): a hard worker, often with the connotation of one who "sucks-up" to the boss; from SE: conscientous) & MIME: the art or technique of portraying a character, mood, idea, by gestures and bodily movements; to play or act out a part; imitate (familiar).

| Comments and Points

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

| Comments and Points

Faketivity

mrskellyscl

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: fake-tiv-i-ty

Sentence: Wally was so well practiced in the art of faketivity that his pointy haired boss never knew that in 20 years he never once accomplished a single task. It was probably a good thing since Wally was so incompetent that he probably would have caused the company to go belly up if he had actually done any work. It was especially laughable that he won employee-of-the-month several times because the pointy haired boss thought he was really working hard.

Etymology: fake: having a false or misleading appearance; fraud + activity: the state of being active; energetic, lively; participate in specific pursuits (Wally is a character in the comic strip Dilbert who is always standing around holding a coffee cup, going to meetings and getting involved in conversations without ever actually working. Nevertheless he somehow always manages to stay under the pointy haired boss' radar and collect his paycheck.)

| Comments and Points

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

| Comments and Points

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)

| Comments and Points

Kinetinertia

Created by: verysimplegame

Pronunciation: ki-ne-tin-er-sha

Sentence: His kinetinertia was a difficult balancing act - to remain active and involved while not actually DOING anything bordered on a science.

Etymology: Kinetics + inertia

| Comments and Points

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

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

good one - Nosila, 2009-11-17: 17:48:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

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...