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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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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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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

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Skivedriver

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: skyv dryv er

Sentence: We've all worked with them. The skivedriver. The co-worker who can avoid real work, like a spy can elude a tail. The skivedriver puts all his energy and efforts into shirking his responsibilities. The skivedriver thinks he is clever, but how satisfying is spending your day going on bathroom breaks, wandering the halls, hiding in plain sight, having constant doctor and dentist appointments, going home sick or evading anything meaningful to earn your keep? Sooner or later, someone calls his bluff...

Etymology: Skive (to not be at work or school when you should be there) & Driver (person with a physiological state corresponding to a strong need or desire;chase from cover into more open ground)

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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.

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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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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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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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Laborfeign

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: LAY - bor - fain

Sentence: Elliot was an absolute master of laborfeign and had his boss and almost all of his office mates convinced he was struggling to achieve results while in reality he was accomplishing nothing, nor even putting forth any real effort.

Etymology: Blend of 'labor' (work), and 'feign' (to represent fictitiously; put on an appearance of)

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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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| Comments and Points

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

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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...