furlough

verb

/ˈfɜːləʊ/

/ˈfɜːrləʊ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they furlough	/ˈfɜːləʊ/ /ˈfɜːrləʊ/
he / she / it furloughs	/ˈfɜːləʊz/ /ˈfɜːrləʊz/
past simple furloughed	/ˈfɜːləʊd/ /ˈfɜːrləʊd/
past participle furloughed	/ˈfɜːləʊd/ /ˈfɜːrləʊd/
-ing form furloughing	/ˈfɜːləʊɪŋ/ /ˈfɜːrləʊɪŋ/

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furlough somebody to give somebody permission to leave their duties for a period of time, especially soldiers working in a foreign country
furlough somebody (North American English) to give a prisoner permission to leave a prison for a period of time
furlough somebody (North American English) to tell workers not to come to work for a period of time, usually because there is not enough money to pay them

noun

/ˈfɜːləʊ/

/ˈfɜːrləʊ/

[uncountable, countable]

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permission to leave your duties for a period of time, especially for soldiers working in a foreign country
- The plane was full of soldiers going home on furlough.
- a six-week furlough
(North American English) permission for a prisoner to leave prison for a period of time
- He was released on a weekend furlough.
- The prisoner failed to return from a furlough.
Topics Crime and punishmentc2
(North American English) a period of time during which workers are told not to come to work, usually because there is not enough money to pay them

Word Originearly 17th cent.: from Dutch verlof, modelled on German Verlaub, of West Germanic origin and related to leave (noun).