lay off
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.62 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
(of an employer) To dismiss (workers) from employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume or through no fault of the worker, often with a severance package.
American usage; Transitive verb
verb
To stop bothering, teasing, or pestering someone; to leave (someone) alone.
Intransitive verb; Transitive verb
verb
In painting, to apply gentle strokes to smooth a wet coat of paint so as to remove visible roller- or brush-marks, commonly using a dry brush; a similar technique, but using a loaded laying-off brush, may produce a smooth coat of paint when using a roller or the usual brush techniques would leave marks.
verb
Example Sentences
- "Four months after arriving in Denver, I was laid off when the pandemic hit. I took on freelance work, whatever I could get, to cover my expenses and stay afloat."
- "Lay off the singing, will you! I'm trying to study."
- "When are you gonna lay off smoking?"
- "Just lay off, okay! I've had enough!"
- "Things have been better since the boss has been laying off a little."
- "I told him to lay off me but he wouldn't stop."
Usage
- American usage
- Transitive verb
- Intransitive verb
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
be surplus to requirements
get sacked
get the ax
get the boot
get the chop
get the heave-ho
get the sack
Frequently Paired Words
be surplus to requirements
get sacked
get the ax
get the boot
get the chop
get the heave-ho
get the sack
unemployed
Synonyms
hedge one's bets
tip off
can
dismiss
fire
sack
terminate
give the axe
give the boot
give their cards
give the chop
give the elbow