give (someone) the elbow

give (someone) the elbow

1. To spurn, jilt, or reject someone, especially a lover or romantic interest. Jonathan has had a broken heart ever since David gave him the elbow.

2. To summarily dismiss or oust someone from employment; to fire someone. Management promptly gave the new accountant the elbow after his miscalculation cost the company hundreds of thousands of dollars. They'll give me the elbow if they ever find out I came into work drunk yesterday.

See also: elbow, give

give someone the elbow

reject or dismiss someone. informal

The image is of nudging someone aside in a rough or contemptuous manner.

See also: elbow, give, someone

give somebody the ˈelbow

(British English, informal) tell somebody that you no longer want to have a relationship with them: I hear she’s finally given her boyfriend the elbow.

See also: elbow, give, somebody