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.
Fileusion
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: fyl loo zhun
Sentence: He was the Great Pretender in our office. Sadly, because he was a male, he got away with it for way longer than any female would even dare try. Yes, Seymour Dolittle, was a fileusion. He would stalk the halls carrying a file folder and pretend to "do his rounds" with nothing more than what turned out to be a pizza place menu and and a bus schedule in his file folder. He fooled the senior management for over 5 years (the ladies in the company twigged on after a year or two, but had nowhere to lodge their concerns). When the cuts came, no one could salvage Seymour, as he worked for no one, did not report to anyone and could never successfully explain his presence in the hallowed halls. Luckily for him, he worked long enough to collect a great pension, unemployment insurance and a tasty severance for all his hard-worked time. Nice work if you can get it...and he wasn't even a CEO of anything!
Etymology: File (a set of related records (either written or electronic) kept together) & Illusion (an erroneous mental representation; the act of deluding; deception by creating illusory ideas; an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers)
Fibdjet
Created by: giveaphuk
Pronunciation: Fib De Jet
Sentence: she fibdjeted with pieces of paper while looking @ the clock waiting from home time.
Etymology: Fib = to like & djet - ending of word fidget - meaning to behave or move nervously or restlessly.
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
Fauxsimile
Created by: ryanpetie
Pronunciation: foh-sim-ill-lay
Sentence: Darren gathered his fauxsimiles and strode around the office like a man possessed. 'A few more laps,' he thought, 'and I could be managing partner.'
Etymology: faux/facsimile
Industricators
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: in-DUST-ri-caters
Sentence: Memo To: WOT Team..... From: WOT Team Leader %%%%%%%%%%%% Hi Team, The big boss is coming to visit on Friday. Please make sure that you have a good selection of industricators and suggestoilibles on hand to ensure that she leaves with 'right' impression. We don't want her to think that WOT stands for Waste of Time. ta, oh and please eat this memo before Friday.
Etymology: industry + indicator + extricate (could get the lazy staffer an allayoffment, and out of a sticky situation)
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COMMENTS:
LOVE the sentence! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-13: 10:39:00
if the definition was having too many awesome words and not being able to choose, my word would be petajalot. - jadenguy, 2007-06-13: 12:15:00
if the definition was having too many awesome words and not being able to choose, my word would be petajalot. - jadenguy, 2007-06-13: 12:26:00
...dont' refresh AND send post data or whatever. - jadenguy, 2007-06-13: 12:27:00
The other one I had that I discarded was apparaphertoilia. Paraphernalia to create an appearance of toil. - petaj, 2007-06-13: 18:33:00
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Bogustrive
Created by: kendriveset
Pronunciation: bo-ga-strive
Sentence: Jim took more effort to bogustrive around the office than it would\'ve taken to actually do some work.
Etymology: bogus + strive
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COMMENTS:
good one - Nosila, 2010-01-07: 18:50:00
thanks so much - kendriveset, 2010-01-08: 15:48:00
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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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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)
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