Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

the (old) heave-ho

noun phrase

Definition of the (old) heave-ho

informal
: the act of causing someone to leave a job, place, or relationship
  • The team's coach gave him the heave-ho for missing practices.
  • We got the old heave-ho when we couldn't pay the rent on our apartment.

Word by Word Definitions

old play

  1. : dating from the remote past : ancient

  2. : persisting from an earlier time

  3. : of long standing

  1. : one of a specified age

  2. : old or earlier time

See the full definition of old
heave-ho play

  1. : dismissal

See the full definition of heave-ho

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up the (old) heave-ho? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games