heave-ho

noun

: dismissal
gave him the old heave-ho

Examples of heave-ho in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Later, when Sony Pictures chairman Peter Guber decided to hire former Warner Bros. executive Mark Canton to head Columbia Pictures in 1991, Price was given an abrupt heave-ho, though he was reportedly paid $10 million for the inconvenience. Richard Natale, Variety, 25 Aug. 2025 Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda came out to argue as well and was given the heave-ho. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2025 Kindergarten family portraits with the artist’s name signed in crayon, a creative writing assignment, or any other piece that feels particularly sweet or impressive is worth hanging on to, but Rosenthal says the rest of those paper piles should get the heave-ho. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 16 May 2025 Cage doesn’t get a toe in the tide before he’s given the heave-ho by a pretentious group of quasi-spiritual surfers called the Bay Boys. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2025 Even activities meant to celebrate certain groups are getting the heave-ho. Emily Peck, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025 A good number of plants and flowers also got the heave-ho, and the irrigation system was replaced with a new one. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

from heave ho!, interjection used when heaving on a rope

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heave-ho was in 1947

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Cite this Entry

“Heave-ho.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heave-ho. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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