Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A prop (e.g. papers, files or any non-functional equipment) used to create the illusion of busyness. v. To use office supplies to create the illusion that you are working.
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.
Fillusion
Created by: protothor
Pronunciation: fillusion
Sentence: This fillusion is working very well; no one even expects I'm not doing anything.
Etymology: From 'file' and 'illusion', anything that gives an observer the idea that you're preoccupied.
Portfonio
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: port - pfon - eeeooo
Sentence: Robert held tight to his large portfonio as he passed his manager's office. He really had nothing to do but he nicely played the part of a person who had millions of things to do and people to see.
Etymology: Portfolio - A collection of papers and accomplishment and another word for notebook. + phony (not real).
Assumetote
Created by: jadenguy
Pronunciation: as OOM tot
Sentence: Like a vampire hunter to the cross, he lept across his cubicle and grabbed a stack of printed material on company letterhead as his boss approached; his assumetote being just enough of a ruse to confuse his superior for perhaps another week. His smokescreen-jobsaver spreadsheet was already drawing suspicion as to exactly how much time he spent playing internet word games!
Etymology: assume + tote + asymptote assume (people assume you are working ) + tote (to carry) + asymptote (to infinitely approach something (work))
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COMMENTS:
yeah, like people play internet word games at work! implausible. - jadenguy, 2007-06-13: 11:40:00
Can I have a copy of that spreadsheet? - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-13: 13:52:00
you come up with very creative sentences jadenguy - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-13: 14:51:00
i try. i try. - jadenguy, 2007-06-13: 17:12:00
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Fobject
Created by: Rhyme79
Pronunciation: fob-jekt
Sentence: Shuffling papers whilst wearing my glasses on the end of my nose is the most effective combination of fobjects I have found. It creates the illusion that I'm actually doing what I'm paid to do.
Etymology: Fob -(as in 'fob off', deceive or dupe) + object = fobject
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COMMENTS:
Short and snappy - I could use this. :) - Discoveria, 2012-09-26: 12:14:00
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Tomfilery
Created by: Wordotwist
Pronunciation: Tom fie la ree
Sentence: Zain was an expert at timefilery;always carrying about a load of files and walking rapidy when moving in front of the boss's window - to give the impression he was very busy.
Etymology: from tomfoolery
Officade
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: aw-fuh-sahd
Sentence: Stanley likes to make everybody think he is the most productive member of his team. He creates a smokescreen by creating an officade of papers and folders that practically obscure his window and keep prying eyes from seeing how little actual work he does.
Etymology: office (a room, set of rooms, or building where the business of a commercial or industrial organization or of a professional person is conducted) + facade (a superficial appearance or illusion of something)
Slothouflage
Created by: bigdog
Pronunciation: slawth-o-flazhe
Sentence: The piles of paper on my desk are all just slothouflage to stop the boss from seeing my pillow and scotch bottle.
Etymology: sloth (indolence) + camouflage (disguise)
Suppliesguise
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: sup-plies-guys
Sentence: Herb was office supply guy and had charge of the stock room; however, we knew him as the "suppliesguise" because he'd spend the entire day running back and forth with paper, folders and what not just to make himself look busier than he really was. That wasn't so bad, but when anyone asked him to get supplies for them his response was, "I'm sorry, I'm too busy. You'll have to get it yourself!"
Etymology: supplies: provisions; furnish or equip + guise: an artful or simulated pretense
Shamoflauge
Created by: LunaC
Pronunciation: sham-o-flaw-ge
Sentence: The new employee furiously types an email to his friend as shamoflauge in case his boss walks by.
Etymology: sham + camoflauge
Work-o-the-wisprop
Created by: ohwtepph
Pronunciation: wohrk-oh-thuh-wiz-prop
Sentence: Oh god, that Ben has been such a work-o-the-wispropper ever since he started out in the business of being the business supervisor. The work-o-the-wisprop he carried around were very convincing: papers to be signed, a neat brown folder and a clipboard with Transformers scribbles on it.
Etymology: will-o-the-wisp [illusion] + work + prop + wiz [the best at something e.g. a math wiz]
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COMMENTS:
good one! - pguse, 2007-06-13: 10:04:00
thanks. :D - ohwtepph, 2007-06-13: 10:28:00
It's a good one and I voted for you! - Stevenson0, 2007-06-13: 17:36:00
How did you get that punctuation in there? - mplsbohemian, 2007-06-13: 19:43:00
you can work all sorts of magic if you go into 'oops i want to change the spelling' bit of the edit section.... it makes things much more verbsatile - rikboyee, 2007-06-13: 22:23:00
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Comments:
The "S" in Timothy Johnson's GUST stands for Strategy. And strategy is key! Especially if you are trying to get way with doing nothing. Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram and Timothy! ~ James
Rebekah - 2009-11-05: 18:33:00
Protaskinate
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James