lay off
HighInformal, Business
Definition
Meaning
To dismiss employees from work, usually temporarily or due to economic reasons.
To stop doing, using, or bothering someone or something; to give up a habit or activity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a transitive, separable phrasal verb (lay someone off). The noun form is 'layoff' or 'lay-off'. It often implies the dismissal is not due to the employee's fault.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar, though the noun form 'layoff' (one word) is more common in American English; 'lay-off' (hyphenated) is more common in British English.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes economic necessity rather than personal performance. In UK, it may have stronger historical links to industrial/manufacturing sectors.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American business/media discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] lay off [Object][Subject] lay [Object] offPassive: [Object] be/get laid offVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “lay off the sauce (stop drinking)”
- “lay off me! (stop bothering me)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The primary context: 'The tech firm had to lay off 10% of its workforce.'
Academic
Used in economics, management, and sociology papers discussing labour markets.
Everyday
Common in news and personal conversations about job loss: 'I heard he got laid off.'
Technical
Used in HR and legal contexts regarding employment termination procedures.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The manufacturer may lay off the night-shift staff.
- Just lay off, will you? I'm trying to concentrate.
American English
- The startup had to lay off 50 people last quarter.
- Hey, lay off the cookies—save some for later!
adjective
British English
- She was a laid-off factory worker seeking new training.
American English
- Laid-off employees received severance packages.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The shop is closed. The workers are laid off.
- The company laid off many people because sales were low.
- After the merger, hundreds were laid off as part of the restructuring plan.
- The management's decision to lay off veteran staff to boost short-term profits was widely criticised in the press.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a manager putting (laying) an employee 'off' the work schedule.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMPLOYMENT IS A CONTAINER/JOURNEY (being laid off is being removed from the container/stopped on the journey).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'to fire/уволить по статье' - 'lay off' implies no fault. Avoid direct translation as 'отложить' (which means postpone).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'They laid off him.' Correct: 'They laid him off.'
- Confusing 'lay off' (dismiss) with 'lay off' (stop bothering) based on context.
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario is 'lay off' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Laid off' typically implies the dismissal is due to economic reasons (no work, company downsizing) and is not the employee's fault. 'Fired' implies termination for cause (poor performance, misconduct).
Yes. Informally, it can mean 'to stop doing or using something' (e.g., 'You should lay off caffeine') or 'to stop bothering someone' (e.g., 'Lay off him, he's had a bad day').
The noun is 'layoff' (AmE) or 'lay-off' (BrE), referring to the act of dismissing employees or a period of such dismissal.
The past tense and past participle is 'laid off'. Example: 'They laid off staff yesterday.' / 'He was laid off last month.'