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.
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
Roboflage
Created by: administraitor
Pronunciation: row-bow-flaj
Sentence: Howard found that measuring floors desks and windows allowed him to prowl the office at will, his roboflage consisting of a tape and clipboard.
Etymology: robot (worker) + camouflage
Camoufraud
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: CAM - oh - frod
Sentence: Maurice is a complete phony, inept in his job and short of actual job knowledge so in order to deceive his employers and fellow employees he regularly committed camoufraud, carrying file folders and other work related objects in an effort to create the illusion that he was fully engaged in work efforts.
Etymology: Blend of camouflage and fraud.
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
There was abuffoon called Maurice__Who carried around a valise__He shunned so much labor__not even his neighbor__could say if he's live or deceased. - metrohumanx, 2008-08-06: 16:47:00
The best! - lumina, 2008-08-06: 23:51:00
----------------------------
Bossacoy
Created by: abrakadeborah
Pronunciation: boss-a-coy
Sentence: In order for Bob to fool his boss...he would often walk around with his trusty bossacoy to look busy.
Etymology: Boss-Manager. Part of "Decoy" - Someone or something used to draw attention away from another.
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.
Maskqueraid
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: mask/ur/aid
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
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
great word and welcome back! - Nosila, 2008-08-06: 21:53:00
----------------------------
Importmanteau
Created by: rephil
Pronunciation: im-PORT-man-toh
Sentence: Gerry's importmanteau always impressed visitors, but the maintenance man's keys signified he held more true power in the building.
Etymology: import -- rank, necessity, gravity; portmanteau -- a suitcase
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
this is a great word!! - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-13: 14:48:00
Thanks -- I know I've had a few in my time! - rephil, 2007-06-13: 14:50:00
Erm -- importmanteaux, not great words! - rephil, 2007-06-13: 14:51:00
actually your words are terrific - there have just been so many good words to choose from lately - I especially like euphonia - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-13: 15:17:00
----------------------------
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)
Dosserier
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: dosss err eee ay
Sentence: he carried his dosserier with him everywhere, adding different coloured stickies each month or so to keep it looking fresh. He called it his licence to kill....time.
Etymology: dossier, dosser
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Hopefully the use of his dosserier won't come back to kick him in the dosserriere. - Clayton, 2007-06-13: 07:48:00
Maybe he carried it in a fanny pack - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-13: 09:26:00
How cheeky! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-13: 10:36:00
i hate to butt in, but is there no rear end to these pun threads?! - jadenguy, 2007-06-13: 11:41:00
ooh that reminds me - it's lunchtime and now I'm in the moods for buns - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-13: 12:10:00
oops I meant mood - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-13: 12:11:00
I'm thinking it would be out-of-line to make a comment about sticky buns, but the air conditioner isn't working in my office today. - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-13: 12:36:00
Such a tool would be perfect for hiding the fact that you're just bumming around instead of working your @$$ off. - ErWenn, 2007-06-13: 14:05:00
Some might say you should just turn the other cheek, jadenguy, but I'm behind you 100% if you want to get to the bottom of this problem. - ErWenn, 2007-06-13: 14:10:00
Rear end to the pun threads? Tush, tush. I've got a haunch we'll be back end the saddle tomorrow. Now, let me hit the can and we can all go grab a Heinie. Fanny that I should put it that way... I've been glute to my seat the hole day. Sorry, that last one was for posteriority. - Clayton, 2007-06-13: 14:34:00
OMG Clayton and ErWenn! Too fanny! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-13: 14:45:00
I think we should put an ASSterisk beside this definition - Jabberwocky, 2007-06-13: 14:47:00
i'm sorry if I came off a little anal before, as i didn't mean to be so stern. but i just find puns comical garbage that we'll always keep with us, but like junk in the trunk of your car that you forget about for as long as possible, bodonkadonk on wood. - jadenguy, 2007-06-13: 16:59:00
LMAO!! - purpleartichokes, 2007-06-13: 17:46:00
No butts about it, my friend laughed so hard it rectum! - petaj, 2007-06-14: 04:29:00
----------------------------
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)
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