rarehumorworkarchaic
Fudgel
FUH-jel
verb
To pretend to work while actually doing nothing productive; to give the appearance of being busy while accomplishing nothing.
Etymology
An 18th-century English dialect word, possibly derived from *fudge* (to fake or fabricate). First recorded in regional English dictionaries of the 1700s.
Usage Examples
- —“He spent the entire afternoon fudgeling at his desk, shuffling papers aimlessly.”
- —“The art of fudgeling has only improved with the invention of multiple browser tabs.”
- —“She was a master fudgeler, always looking busy whenever the boss walked by.”
Fun Fact
Long before we had smartphones and social media to distract us, 18th-century workers had already invented a word for looking busy while doing nothing. Some things never change!