LAY OFF

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does lay off mean? 

• LAY OFF (verb)
  The verb LAY OFF has 2 senses:

1. put an end to a state or an activity

2. dismiss, usually for economic reasons

  Familiarity information: LAY OFF used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LAY OFF (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Put an end to a state or an activity

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

cease; discontinue; give up; lay off; quit; stop

Context example:

Quit teasing your little brother

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lay off"):

drop; knock off (stop pursuing or acting)

leave off (stop using)

sign off (cease broadcasting; get off the air; as of radio stations)

retire; withdraw (withdraw from active participation)

pull the plug (prevent from happening or continuing)

close off; shut off (stem the flow of)

cheese (used in the imperative (get away, or stop it))

call it a day; call it quits (stop doing what one is doing)

break (give up)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s VERB-ing

Sense 2

Meaning:

Dismiss, usually for economic reasons

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

furlough; lay off

Context example:

She was laid off together with hundreds of other workers when the company downsized

Hypernyms (to "lay off" is one way to...):

can; dismiss; displace; fire; force out; give notice; give the axe; give the sack; sack; send away; terminate (terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lay off"):

downsize (dismiss from work)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

layoff (the act of laying off an employee or a work force)

 Context examples 

He felt that it lay off to the left somewhere, not far—possibly just over the next low hill.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)