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.
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)
Illusibusion
Created by: remistram
Pronunciation: ill-uge-ee-busy-un
Sentence: Stan was an expert at utilizing effective illusibusions - so much so that he was promoted to senior clerk.
Etymology: illusion + busy
Shamanila
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: sha man ila
Sentence: Steve was the shamanila at the office. Most of his 8 hour shift was devoted to avoiding work. He had carried around his faithful manila folder daily trying to look busy. For 8 years he had fooled everyone. Until the day he got his new manager, Liz. She asked him to write out his job description. How in the world was he going to turn his one sentence actual duties (Carries around a file folder.) into a whole page or two of action verbs and activities?
Etymology: Sham (a person who makes deceitful pretenses;something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be) & Manila (a strong paper or thin cardboard with a smooth light brown finish made from e.g. Manila hemp & Shaman (one who practices sorcery)
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
Papershirk
Created by: Osomatic
Pronunciation: Rhymes with "paperwork."
Sentence: With enough important-looking documents, I can wander around for hours papershirking.
Etymology: Rhymes with "paperwork."
Busybobbin
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: BIHZ-ee-bahb-ihn
Sentence: The stack of files and papers at Alex's desk proved to be a most effective busybobbin, as no-one knew about his large Lego fort he was constructing behind it.
Etymology: busy + bobbin (trinket) + busybody
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COMMENTS:
Grr, I meant bauble, not bobbin. Oh, well. - mplsbohemian, 2007-06-13: 22:30:00
Sounds good either way. - ErWenn, 2007-06-13: 23:54:00
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Documentality
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: dok u men tal it ee
Sentence: Pierre's ruse was to use his documentality to elude real work. He would carry any official-looking folder or paper to make it look like he was on his way to a very important meeting. In fact, he remembered the trick his English classes used about the different words "stationary & stationery". The "ar" one stood for At Rest, as in stationary machinery and the other "er" one stood for the last 2 letters in paper...or in his case "Eternally Roving".
Etymology: Document (writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature); anything serving as a representation of a person's thinking by means of symbolic marks) & Mentality (a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations; mental ability)
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.
Escaperwork
Created by: Discoveria
Pronunciation: ess-KAY-pur-wurk
Sentence: Just before weekly staff meetings, Joe's pile of escaperwork would grow to include three reports, two manila envelopes, a stapler and a large black binder labelled 'URGENT'.
Etymology: escape (to avoid) + paperwork (documents)
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