Noun: layoff 'ley,óf
- The act of laying off an employee or a work force
"The company announced a massive layoff due to economic downturn";
- redundancy [Brit, Cdn]
- Dismiss, usually for economic reasons
"She was laid off together with hundreds of other workers when the company downsized";
- furlough [N. Amer]
- Put an end to a state or an activity
"lay off teasing your little brother";
- discontinue, stop, cease, give up, quit, break, break off, surcease [archaic]
Derived forms: layoffs, laying off, laid off, lays off
Type of: can [N. Amer, informal], closedown, closing, closure, dismiss, displace, end, fire, force out, give notice, give the axe [informal], give the sack [informal], sack, send away, shutdown, terminate
Encyclopedia: Layoff
Lay off