(one's) marching orders

1. A command or direction to advance, progress, or move on. (Usually used with "get" or "give.") We were waiting for the project leader to give us our marching orders before we began development of the next iteration of the software. Bill had been living in his parents' house for nearly a year without working when he finally got his marching orders to move out. When we get to the volunteer site, we're supposed to all meet at the big fountain and then we'll get our marching orders.

2. A notice of dismissal from one's employment. After messing up that account, I'm terrified that I'm going to get my marching orders any day now. The boss gave Daniel his marching orders for arriving to work drunk. I'm going to get my marching orders if the boss finds out that printing error was my fault.

marching orders

AMERICAN

Your marching orders are the instructions that you are given in order to carry out a plan or achieve an aim. As one White House official put it, `We're still waiting for our marching orders.' Program executives have new marching orders for Hollywood producers. Note: The above expressions relate to the army. When soldiers are given marching orders, they are ordered to march to a particular place.

marching orders

a dismissal or sending off.

In military terminology, marching orders are literally instructions from a superior officer for troops to depart. The North American version of the idiom is marching papers .