lay off

lay someone off (from something)

to put an end to someone's employment at something. The automobile factory laid five hundred people off from work. They laid off a lot of people. We knew they were going to lay a lot of people off.

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lay off (someone or something)

to leave someone or something alone. Lay off the booze for a while, why don't ya? Lay off me! I didn't do anything!

See also: lay

lay off (someone or something)

to leave someone or something alone. Lay off the booze for a while, why don't ya? Lay off me! I didn't do anything!

See also: lay

lay somebody off also lay off somebody

to force a worker to give up a job, usually because of high costs or other business reasons She was laid off along with many others when the company moved to California. Our choices are to lay off ten workers, or raise our prices by 10%.

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lay off (something)

to stop doing or using something She usually runs several miles every day but lays off in the hot weather.

See also: lay

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Can I take her into the spare room to lay off her hat when she comes? Anne Of Green Gables by Montgomery, Lucy Maud View in context They couldn't hit no project that suited exactly; so at last the duke said he reckoned he'd lay off and work his brains an hour or two and see if he couldn't put up something on the Arkansaw village; and the king he allowed he would drop over to t'other village without any plan, but just trust in Providence to lead him the profitable way -- meaning the devil, I reckon. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain, Mark View in context There were already a couple of score of passengers aboard, some of whom had expended their last money in securing a passage, but the captain lay off the Blackwater until five in the afternoon, picking up passengers until the seated decks were even dangerously crowded. The War Of The Worlds by Wells, H.G. View in context	lay around lay aside lay aside for lay at door lay at feet lay away lay bare lay before lay cards on the table lay claim to lay down lay down arms lay down life lay down the law lay emphasis on lay eyes on lay for lay hold of lay in lay into lay it on the line lay it on thick lay low lay low and sing small lay of the land lay off lay on lay open lay out lay out in lavender lay out on lay over lay rubber lay some sweet lines on lay the blame on lay the ghost of lay to lay to rest lay to waste lay together lay under lay up lay waste laze away leach leach away leach in leach out of lead lead a dance lead a dog's life	Lay Low Lay Low Lay Low Lay Low Lay Low lay low and sing small Lay Member to Annual Conference lay midwife lay midwife Lay Ministers Lay Ministers Lay Ministers Lay Ministers lay money down lay money on lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay neck on the block lay odds lay odds lay odds Lay of Havelock the Dane Lay of the Cid lay of the land lay of the land lay of the land lay of the land lay of the land lay off Lay Offs Lay Offs Lay Offs Lay Offs lay on lay on lay on lay on lay on Lay on Hands lay on the line Lay on the table Lay on the table Lay on the table Lay on the table lay on thick lay on thick lay on thick lay on thick lay on with a trowel lay on with a trowel lay on with a trowel lay on with a trowel lay one on lay oneself open to lay open lay open lay open lay open lay open

References in classic literature

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Can I take her into the spare room to lay off her hat when she comes?

Anne Of Green Gables by Montgomery, Lucy Maud View in context

They couldn't hit no project that suited exactly; so at last the duke said he reckoned he'd lay off and work his brains an hour or two and see if he couldn't put up something on the Arkansaw village; and the king he allowed he would drop over to t'other village without any plan, but just trust in Providence to lead him the profitable way -- meaning the devil, I reckon.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain, Mark View in context

There were already a couple of score of passengers aboard, some of whom had expended their last money in securing a passage, but the captain lay off the Blackwater until five in the afternoon, picking up passengers until the seated decks were even dangerously crowded.

The War Of The Worlds by Wells, H.G. View in context