Sack someone meaning in English
Learn how to use Sack someone correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
to sack someone, to give someone the sack (UK): to dismiss, to fire someone from their job
Examples
- "Sacked! You guys crack me up."
- "Donna : Or even sacked?"
Exercise 1
True or false? Bruno ends this discussion by sacking Brian and Donna.
True or false? Bruno ends this discussion by sacking Brian and Donna.
This statement is not true.
This statement is false. Donna and Brian have not been "sacked" or "fired". Although Bruno jokingly says that Brian and Donna should "leave at once", he then adds "kidding". The expression "just kidding" or "kidding" is used to express that one is not being serious: that one is "joking". At the end of this conversation, Bruno says "Come on, guys. I have some important news."
Exercise 2
From the list below, select the sentence(s) which talk about being laid off.
From the list below, select the sentence(s) which talk about being laid off.
The verb "to quit" does not mean the same thing as "to be laid off". In the radio broadcast, Janine says "quitting your job and being fired from your job are two very different things". To "quit" your job is to choose to leave it. Example: "Lucy quit her job in order to travel round the world on a motorbike".
"To retire" is to leave one's job because one is old, or old enough to receive a pension! Example: "When I retire, I want to live by the sea".
This is a good choice. To be "fired" is to be "laid off": to lose one's job against one's will. Here's another example: "I'm going to fire you if your work doesn't improve, young man!".
This sentence uses "sacked", which shares a similar meaning with "laid off", in British English. Let's look at another example: "The Queen sacked her private secretary because she found him looking in her knicker drawer".
Exercise 3
Find the idioms used to fire somebody by matching the two parts of the expressions!
off
the sack
redundant
go
off
the sack
redundant
go
Find the idioms used to fire somebody by matching the two parts of the expressions!
to lay somebody 1 off
to give somebody 2 the sack
to make somebody 3 redundant
to let somebody 4 go
to lay somebody 1 off
to give somebody 2 the sack
to make somebody 3 redundant
to let somebody 4 go
1 to lay somebody: "To lay (somebody) off" is a neutral way of saying "to fire (somebody from their job)". The expression is often used to talk about lots of people losing their job. Example: The company is LAYING OFF 500 workers/staff/employees. Don't forget that "to lay off" is irregular: He was LAID OFF from his job OR I have been LAID OFF. The verb can also be used as a noun. Example: There have been lots of LAY-OFFS in the factory this year.
1 to give somebody: Oops! "To give somebody off" doesn't make sense!
1 to make somebody: Oops! "To make somebody off" doesn't make sense!
1 to let somebody: Oops! "To let (somebody) off" is a phrasal verb, but it doesn't mean "to fire (somebody)". "To let (somebody) off" means not to punish somebody after they have done something wrong (or just give them a light punishment). Example: Fortunately, the police LET me OFF with a warning.
2 to give somebody: "To give somebody the sack" is an informal British idiom that means to fire an employee, often (but not always) because they have done something wrong. Example: Icarus was caught stealing biscuits from the kitchen so Bruno GAVE him the SACK. Note, in the song, the machine says, "You've GOT the sack", which is a variant on the expression. It is also possible to use "sack" as a verb on its own. Example: Bruno SACKED Icarus (for stealing biscuits).
2 to lay somebody: Sorry, this expression does not exist!
2 to make somebody: Sorry, this expression does not exist!
2 to let somebody: Sorry, this expression does not exist!
3 to make somebody: "To make (somebody) redundant" is a British expression that means "to make somebody unemployed (so that they don't have a job)". Example: Two of my colleagues were MADE REDUNDANT last week. The term "redundancy" is also used. Example: Due to competition from foreign car manufacturers, thousands of factory workers are facing (or are threatened with) REDUNDANCY.
3 to give somebody: Good news: You've invented a new expression! Bad news: This expression is not English!
3 to lay somebody: Good news: You've invented a new expression! Bad news: This expression is not English!
3 to let somebody: Good news: You've invented a new expression! Bad news: This expression is not English!
4 to let somebody: The idiom "To let (someone) go" is a euphemistic and indirect way of saying "to fire (someone)". Example: I'm sorry, but I think it will be better for you and the company if we LET YOU GO. In the song, the AFS machine says, "We have no choice but to let you go".
4 to give somebody: This does not make sense!
4 to make somebody: This expression makes sense, but it is certainly not a common idiom associated with firing!
4 to lay somebody: This does not make sense!
Exercise 4
True or false? Bruno ends this discussion by sacking Brian and Donna.
True or false? Bruno ends this discussion by sacking Brian and Donna.
This statement is not true.
This statement is false. Donna and Brian have not been "sacked" or "fired". Although Bruno jokingly says that Brian and Donna should "leave at once", he then adds "kidding". The expression "just kidding" or "kidding" is used to express that one is not being serious: that one is "joking". At the end of this conversation, Bruno says "Come on, guys. I have some important news."
Exercise 5
It's time to find the odd one out!
From the list below, select the term which does NOT share a similar meaning with the others!
From the list below, select the term which does NOT share a similar meaning with the others!
It's time to find the odd one out!
From the list below, select the term which does NOT share a similar meaning with the others!
From the list below, select the term which does NOT share a similar meaning with the others!
This is the term which does not fit with the others. To "tell it to someone straight" is to speak directly to them, or to tell them the truth with no hesitation. Example: "If your colleague smells really bad, you should tell it to them straight". The other terms in this list all share a similar meaning: to tell someone that they have lost their job.
To "lay someone off" is to tell them that they have lost their job. This term shares a similar meaning with "to fire someone", "to sack someone" and "to let someone go".
To "fire" someone is to tell them that they have lost their job. This term shares a similar meaning with "to let someone go", "to sack someone" and "to lay someone off".
To "sack someone" is to tell them that they have lost their job. This term shares a similar meaning with "to fire someone", "to lay someone off" and "to let someone go". Note that "to sack someone" is a British expression, and is not used in the US.
To "let someone go" is to tell them that they have lost their job. This term shares a similar meaning with "to fire someone", "to sack someone" and "to lay someone off".
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