furlough English · revision 2202

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfɜː.ləʊ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈfɝ.loʊ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|nl|verlof|t=leave, permission]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from Middle Dutch, from ''ver-'' “for-, completely” and ''lof'' “permission”,^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|ine-pro|*leubh-|t=to care, desire, love]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD) Its elements correspond to English ''for-'' and ''leave''.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) The spelling with ''-gh'' became fixed in the 1770s and represents a final ''f'' sound that was later lost.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Leave of absence, especially permission given to a soldier to be absent from duty for a stated time (1625).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) The earliest form is ''vorloffe''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was military at first, and by 1763 was extended to general use.^(OED 1989) It also named the document authorizing the leave, or a passport (a1659).^(OED 1989)^(AHD) In the 20th century it was applied to temporary layoffs of workers (by 1946, originally of civilian employees of the US military) and, by 1975, to temporary releases of prisoners.^(Etymonline)^(AHD)^(RHWU) The verb is dated 1781 by Merriam-Webster and 1783 by the OED and Barnhart; its sense “to lay off” is from about 1940.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1625 – ''vorloffe'', leave of absence for a soldier.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * a1659 – a passport or permit.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1707 – the spelling ''furlow''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1763 – leave of absence in general.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1783 – verb, to grant a furlough.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1940 – verb, to lay off workers.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A leave of absence, especially one granted to a member of the armed forces.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A usually temporary layoff from work.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A temporary leave of absence granted to a prisoner.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+ # The document authorizing a leave.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To grant a furlough to.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To lay off workers, usually temporarily.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[leave]]

+ * [[love]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}