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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.

Seemulanting

Created by: jonobo

Pronunciation: like "simulating" but with an emphased "ANT" (yes the little insect), and "seem" and "mule" is also included - so it depends a bit on your mood how you pronounce it - but the easy way: simulanting.

Sentence: He was seemulanting the hell out of his secret new project. He was seemulanting so good, that he seemed to be a whole state of ants in one person and a hard working mule at the same time, he was not only seemulanting, he was "The Seem-Mule-Ant-Thing".

Etymology: Simulate + Seem + Mule + Ants (they always seem so busy).

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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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Researf

Created by: lukeE

Pronunciation:

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Busybodiness

Created by: allawson

Pronunciation:

Sentence: Katrevor sunk down behind her computer to in busybodiness in hopes that her boss would not notice.

Etymology: At work!

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COMMENTS:

Thing is, by the rules of English morphology, "busybodiness" should mean: The state of being a busybody. A "busybody" is a nosey, meddlesome person. - cacarr, 2018-08-22: 03:34:00

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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."

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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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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

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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).

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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

ohwtepph 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

petaj Brilliant. - petaj, 2007-05-02: 05:40:00

That's awesome! - jedijawa, 2007-05-03: 13:27:00

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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)

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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...