backgroundv.
To surreptitiously perform a task in the background while one's attention is supposed to be on another task.
Example Citation:
Ever rung a colleague or client and found that the only response your questions are soliciting is the occasional "Hmmm"? You've just been "backgrounded"! To background someone is to deny them your full attention while multi-tasking.
—"News," The Guardian, February 13, 1999
