Sure, how you look is important. Your clothes, your hair, your overall sense of style -- these things matter. But if you really want to stay current as the ranking social maven in your office, you'll need to get hip to the slang.

But why be content with latching on to whatever popular phrases all the other staff are using, when you could start your own linguistic trend?

For that, you can turn to geeksugar, and their growing list of new terminology for your everyday corporate endeavors. My personal favorite is "Xerox Subsidy" -- a euphemism for stealing free photocopies from your place of employment (probably 'cause I did that with reckless abandon at my last job -- shh, don't tell).

And, just to get in the spirit, I'd like to make a couple of my own additions to the list:

Speared: When you get caught in a conversation with the crazy, white-trash receptionist who just can't seem to get it together, no matter how many times she goes to rehab. (As in, "Sorry I'm late, I got Speared.")

Cougared: A Top Gun reference. When a work-obsessed colleague as been "holding on too tight" and "lost the edge." (As in: "What happened to Tim from accounting?" "Dude, he's on leave -- he Cougared.")