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.
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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Workplacebo
Created by: toadstool57
Pronunciation: work-plA-cE-bo
Sentence: Jill is considered the workplacebo, acting so busy the boss often comments that all his employees should use her as thier role model. She should get an oscar for her acting in the office.
Etymology: work place/placebo, as in fake
Imitoil
Created by: iwasatripwire
Pronunciation: im-ih-toil
Sentence: "Tip 14: Constantly making trips to the photocopier is a great way to look busy AND get in some exercise." --from Imitoiling for Dummies
Etymology: imitate + toil
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
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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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).
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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Proletarryat
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: pro/le/tary/at
Sentence: A proletarryat is an expert at wasting time and looking oppressed.
Etymology: pro (expert) + tarry (delay) + at + proletariat (laboring class)
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: EXERTSHAM - noun - from EXERT (to put oneself into strenuous, vigorous action, or effort)+ SHAM (something that is not what it purports to be; a fraud, or hoax)
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:
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...