furlough — a temporary leave of absence from work, especially that granted to a member of the armed services
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a temporary leave of absence from work, especially that granted to a member of the armed services
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈfɜːrloʊ/
Example Sentences
- During the pandemic, many companies put employees on furlough instead of firing them permanently.
- The prison guard was excited about his furlough until he realized he had nowhere to go.
- The government announced a furlough program to help businesses retain workers during the economic downturn.
furlough
NOUN[/ˈfɜːrloʊ/]
a temporary leave of absence from work, especially that granted to a member of the armed services

Soldiers on furlough rush home to hug their families at the train station.

Furlough leaves behind today's sorrow, brings hope for tomorrow!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Furlough derives from 17th-century Dutch 'verlof', meaning 'permission' or 'leave'. Originally a military term for temporary absence from duty, it has since expanded to mean a general leave of absence or temporary layoff from employment.
Breakdown
Dutch 'verlof' (permission, leave) → English 'furlough'. The Dutch root combines 'ver-' (for) + 'lof' (permission), literally 'for-permission'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“During the pandemic, many companies put employees on furlough instead of firing them permanently.”
“The prison guard was excited about his furlough until he realized he had nowhere to go.”
“The government announced a furlough program to help businesses retain workers during the economic downturn.”
“He spent his military furlough teaching his grandmother how to use TikTok.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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