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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Manilarage
Created by: libertybelle
Pronunciation: man-ILL-uh-raj
Sentence: Under the cloaking of a perfectly executed malinarage, Jeff buried his head into the folder labeled "Hudson Acct." as he wandered through the cubicle forest and down to the nearby Starbucks for the 3rd time that morning.
Etymology: manila - as in type of folder typically found in an office setting + Mirage -illusion
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)
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)
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)
Docuflage
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: DOCK-yew-flawj
Sentence: Harper fancied himself a very clever tactician, using an old empty attache case as docuflage, believing that coworkers were convinced that he was actually packing a large work schedule, though everyone in the office had been on to his scam for years.
Etymology: Blend of the words 'document' (various paperwork) and 'camouflage' (a device or stratagem used for concealment)
Earpencil
Created by: texmom
Pronunciation: Eer pen sill
Sentence: He wandered around with an earpencil as if he were doing math.
Etymology: ear - yeah the body part pencil - simple graphic tool
Assidupicity
Created by: jesster
Pronunciation: Ass-id-you-plicity
Sentence: While Neville's constant assiduplicity never fooled the people that actually accomplished things, management was completely taken in. He was promoted so frequently that his failures never caught up to him, and soon was in charge of the entire department.
Etymology: assiduous (involved in often constant activity )+ duplicity (the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery)
Figmendation
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: fig men day shun
Sentence: As a long time civil servant in the federal Department of the Obscure and Forgotten Files, Roger was the King of the Toadies. He spent his entire workday carrying around a file folder which was labelled S.M.A.R.T. It looked very official and proved to the innocent bystander or visitor that Roger was a man with a special mission and purpose in his work. In fact the S.M.A.R.T. File was a figmendation. It usually contained a crossword puzzle or scratch & win cards, which Roger would spend his days at work playing. His co-workers thought that the S.M.A.R.T. stood for Segregated Modules Actualizing Relative Theory. In fact, the S.M.A.R.T. acronym actually stood for See Me Avoiding Real Toil. Yes, Roger was also known by his more popular nickname: The SmartFile Dodger!
Etymology: figment (a contrived or fantastic idea, i.e: a figment of the imagination) & mendacious (intentionally untrue;lying)
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COMMENTS:
Did Riger work at the Texas Blog Suppository? Ya crack me up, Nose! - metrohumanx, 2008-08-06: 16:37:00
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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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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