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...
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Excellusion
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: ex-sell-usion
Sentence: You might think Bob is working hard on his spreadsheets. But they're not real. It's an excellusion.
Etymology: Excel (data spread sheets) + illusion (a false impression of reality)
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."
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).
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.
Maskqueraid
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: mask/ur/ade
Sentence: No one knew which department he worked in but with his maskqueraid of blackbery and wireless headset he easily passed his day wandering and betting on horses
Etymology: masquerade + mask + aid
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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Phantofiles
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: fan/toe/files
Sentence: Joe had six different coloured sets of phantofiles he alternated at various times of the day to keep 'The Man' off his case and to demonstrate his industriousness and multitasking abilities. "Damn, he's good!" thought his boss. "He's been working on six different projects today and it's only noon." Joe's phantofiles put him in line for a raise.
Etymology: PHANTOFILES - noun - from PHANTOM (an appearance, or illusion without material substance) + FILES (a container, or folder for keeping papers in order)
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COMMENTS:
I worked with a guy that did that...he got away with it until his new female boss figured him out and gave him the boot! - Nosila, 2008-08-06: 00:50:00
pesty female bosses! - scrabbelicious, 2008-08-06: 06:43:00
What datum lurks in the hearts of men?Only the Phantofile knows. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-06: 11:25:00
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Propccupied
Created by: ziggy41
Pronunciation: Prop-kyu-pide
Sentence: To avoid obtaining any more work from her boss that day, she used her clever wit to propccupy herself with a dead beatle and a piece of bagel.
Etymology: Prop (an object) + occupied (busy)
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
Maloprop
Created by: readerwriter
Pronunciation: mal-o-prop
Sentence: Eric is so retro, Petra thought. Everytime she saw him cross the office floor on his way from the men's room to his desk, she had to laugh. Oh yeah, he just had to carry those maloprops to show everyone he knew what it was like in the 20th century. It was ludicrous. And, then if you said something, he had such excuses...like he didn't understand there were better ways of doing things.
Etymology: From mal, Latin/Romance languages, for bad or sick + prop for a property used for show. Also a play on the word malapropism, the ludicrous misuse of a word. In this case, the ludicrous misuse of a prop.
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