Words / C1

FURL-oh/ˈfɜːləʊ/

A furlough is a period of leave from duty, especially unpaid leave from work: on furlough, furlough the spare (also a verb). Leave (already in the dictionary) is everyday; sending the night officer home is still a cover hole, not a tidy saving.

Meaning

A period of leave from duty, especially unpaid leave from work (also verb; from leave, already in the dictionary).

Examples

• “A furlough of the night spare is a cover hole, not a saving.”
• “Leave is already in this course. Lay-off is the harsher twin. A saving is a slogan. A name on the log is cover. Keep the spare, or name the exclusion; do not baptise the hole as prudence.”

Good to know

Official leave from duty. Everyday: leave (already in the dictionary). A saving ≠ cover.

Near in meaning

leave, unpaid leave, lay-off

New