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.
Managingdeflector
Created by: porsche
Pronunciation: man/aj/ing/de/flek/tor
Sentence: The managingdeflector in our firm had a job that no one could explain but he was paid a ton of money for walking around with his headset and blackberry
Etymology: managing director + deflect
Fauxworker
Created by: Splosion
Pronunciation: pho-werk-er
Sentence: Mary's just a fauxworker: she doesn't really do anything all day.
Etymology:
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.
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)
Accounterinsurgent
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: ack-ount-er-in-serge-ant
Sentence: Ted believed in subverting the system from within by doing as little as possible. He clicked between spreadsheets while gazing into middle distance. No one knew it, but he was proud to be an accounterinsurgent.
Etymology: Accounts (money, esp in business) + counter (a desk from behind which service is given) + counterinsurgency (combating guerrilla warfare)
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
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)
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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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.
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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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...