Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To seek approval from your boss by emulating their style, mannerisms or affectations. n. A person who copies their boss's style in order to win favor.
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.
Copycad
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: cop-ee-kad
Sentence: Frank's very crafty. He knows he'll never get to be manager of Knights Property unless Bob Knight approves it. So he wears the same style suits and drinks the same coffe. Bob thinks Frank's a mate, but behind Frank's smile is a heart of steel and obsessive ambition. Frank will do what it takes. He's a copycad.
Etymology: copycat (a person who copies another) + cad (one who behaves in a dishonourable way, a bounder)
Sycopyphant
Created by: TimTheEnchanter
Pronunciation: si-CAH-pee-fuhnt
Sentence: Everyone knew Cathy was a complete suck-up, always doing whatever the CIO, Mr. Srinivasan, wanted. But jaws hit the floor when she came into the meeting room today. She had risen to the level of complete sycopyphant, cutting her hair short, dying it black, and wearing a Nehru jacket identical to what her boss always wore. The two were almost indistinguishable.
Etymology: SYCOPHANT: a servile self-seeking flatterer + COPY an imitation or reproduction of an original
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COMMENTS:
Good word...like a psychopyphant maybe??? - Nosila, 2008-08-07: 23:26:00
Great paragrab Tim the E... - metrohumanx, 2008-08-08: 07:15:00
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Apeproval
Created by: Rhyme79
Pronunciation: ape-proov-all
Sentence: My boss is so vain that I figured he couldn't miss how awesome I am if I try the apeproval tactic. I mean, what I have got to lose? Putting on a hundred pounds, wearing enormous glasses, shaving my head and dressing like a gorilla kicked through a circus could only be good for my career, right?
Etymology: Ape- copy, mimic. Approval- consent, blessing.
Panderox
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: pan/der/ox
Sentence: With a vice-president position available, individuals being considered for the position panderox the boss at every possible opportunity. The secretaries have a chart keeping track of who is the biggest panderoxing fool.
Etymology: PANDEROX - PANDER + XEROX - verb - from PANDER (To cater to the tastes and desires of others) + XEROX (to copy, reproduce, or duplicate)
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COMMENTS:
indupitably, what a pandora's box we weave. good word. - scrabbelicious, 2008-08-07: 09:52:00
original and clever - OZZIEBOB, 2008-08-08: 01:08:00
I once saw a panderox in an asian zoo. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-08: 07:09:00
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Shtickophant
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: SHTIHK-uh-fuhnt
Sentence: When Alex suddenly worked under a new boss, his days as a shtickophant were numbered, as there was no way he was going around in stilettos and pearls.
Etymology: shtick (idiosyncrasy, gimmick) + sycophant
Clononialism
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: clo/no/nee/al/ism
Sentence: Her clononialism was quite startling. She was determined to stake her own territory even if it involved personal sacrifice.
Etymology: clone + colonialism
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COMMENTS:
Send in the clones. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 12:02:00
And where are the clones? There ought to be clones. Uh oh - Purple's going to kill you - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 12:20:00
CLAAAAYTON!!! I know where your word lives!! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 12:33:00
Hahaha. What?! You got something against that song? It's almost as good as "MacArthur Park." - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 15:21:00
Now you've really done it Clayton - Someone's left the cake out in the rain - I think the only other song that long is In-a-gadda-da-vida - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 15:47:00
(don't ya know that I'll always CLUB you) - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 16:17:00
too punny for words - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 16:39:00
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Copykate
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: käpēkāt
Sentence: CopyKate wants so much to be like her boss that it hurts. The trouble is that her budget for the extravagant is nowhere near his. He wears European designer suits and drives a top-of-the-line Fiat. She wears knockoffs and drives a counterfiat, a Ford Fiesta with an after-market simulant grill. The shaved head wasn’t difficult to pull off. The chest hair may take some doing.
Etymology: duplicate (exactly like something else, esp. through having been copied) + Kate (woman’s name) A play on copycat
Dopagangafav
Created by: keeno82uk
Pronunciation: Dop-ag-ang-a-fav
Sentence: Used my colleagues in the same office, mostly in gossip circles. "oh, look. The boss has another Dopagangafav. She must desperately need a promotion"
Etymology: Dopagangafav: derived from Russian heirarchy terminology. Contenders to the throne used to wear similar garb and hairstyle to the king/queen to gain their praise and to increase the likelihood of them being the next in line to the throne.
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COMMENTS:
has possibilities:like the approach. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-08-08: 01:12:00
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Suckape
Created by: mrskellyscl
Pronunciation: suck-ape
Sentence: Jen's such a suckape. In order to ingratiate herself to the boss she decided to copy him, so she changed political parties and started listening to Barry Manilow. But wearing green polyester suits with running shoes is just a bit over the top.
Etymology: suckup: ingratiate oneself to, often insincerely + ape: one who copies the mannerisms or words of another; an imitator
Auparrot
Created by: Clayton
Pronunciation: oh-PAR-uht
Sentence: Cornelius felt the need to auparrot Mr. Jenkin's tiresome soliloquies any time the mood struck him. Unfortunately, the mood only struck him in the shower.
Etymology: au pair + parrot
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COMMENTS:
Hey Clayton, Rikboyee's character works for Mrs. Jenkins. A pairoboss! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 09:06:00
or maybe the two are a pairadox - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 09:54:00
Appairently, Rikboyee is challenging me to a duo. Pair for the course. Once I de-deuced it, I realized it was no yoke. I'm certain he would twin, and I'm far too young to dyad. Pairhaps we should drink from the ceremonial doublet instead. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 11:28:00
but you are nursing a wounded soldier - or was that shoulder - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 11:46:00
Heheh. I'll have to shoulder this burden stoically, like a soldier without arms. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 11:51:00
I suspect duplicity on someone's part, but perhaps I'm just splitting hairs. - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 11:55:00
How dare you speak ill of my toeses! (Sound of crickets.) - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 11:59:00
wouldn't that be splitting heirs? - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 12:06:00
Hai! Dos puns of Claytons are real ni-slappers, but they deux seem a bit two forced tu me. At la-shtayim presented with an opportunity to make a total twee-b of myself and pun in as many languages as I can handle without having any iki, disgusting kaksi-dents. It-zwei-l and it's nasty, but I couldn't resist, an-dalawá-nt is tu make everyone groan at how terrible these puns èr. I've deliberately included 16 different languages, so you'll have to really be on your to's if you want to find them all. - ErWenn, 2007-06-14: 12:09:00
Wow! That was quite ErWenntertaining! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-14: 12:17:00
You wenn, er... win. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 15:15:00
whatever happened to Cassiusclayton? - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-14: 15:51:00
http://claytoncounts.com/neato2/Cassius%20Clay%20-%20Stand%20by%20Me.mp3 - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 19:12:00
Whoops... looks like we can't post links. At least, not long ones. - Clayton, 2007-06-14: 19:12:00
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Comments:
Office politics. You know it's a game. You understand the players. You've got a strategy. Now it's time to take action with Timothy Johnson's GUST -- even if that means shaving your head. Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram and Timothy! ~ James
purpleartichokes - 2007-06-14: 18:10:00
Love the artwork today James! Very funny!
Thanks purple! And cheers to remistram for thinking of such a funny idea. ~ James
By the way, Robert J. Sawyer, winner of Hugo and Nebula best novel awards, will be our featured author at Verbotomy next week. More details to follow... Check out Rob's website at www.sfwriter.com. ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by remistram. Thank you remistram. ~ James