Word
furlough
Phoneticsfur·lough, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɝɫoʊ/
UK/fˈɜːləʊ/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a period of time when an employee is away from work but still gets paid. It is often used when a company needs to reduce costs for a short time.
n. a period of temporary leave from work, typically unpaid or with reduced pay, granted by an employer. Often used in the context of economic downturns or seasonal business cycles.
Examples
“The company placed many employees on furlough during the winter.”
“After the sudden drop in tourism, the hotel management decided to put half the staff on furlough for three months.”
Examples
simple
“The company placed many employees on furlough during the winter.”
contextual
“After the sudden drop in tourism, the hotel management decided to put half the staff on furlough for three months.”
Real-World Examples
“Production at the business, which employs about 1,300 people, was paused several months ago, with staff put on furlough on reduced wages.” “Patrick Harvie of the Greens warned that Scotland faced a "Hallowe'en nightmare" from the ending of the UK furlough and the absence of any adequate alternative.” Etymology
From Dutch verlof (“furlough”), probably from Middle Low German verlōf (“furlough, permission”) (possibly via German Verlaub), from the verb verlōven (“to allow”), from Old Saxon far- + lōvian (“to trust, believe”). From Middle Low German also German Verlaub, Danish forlov. Doublet of leave.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/furlough