layoff

1 the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily even senior employees lost their jobs in the massive layoff Synonyms ax (or axe), discharge, dismissal, furlough, redundancy [chiefly British] Related Words pink slip; bird [chiefly British], boot, bum's rush, downsizing, firing, heave-ho, sack; closing, shutdown; shakeout, shake-up Near Antonyms callback, recall, reemployment, rehire, rehiring

2 a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness after such a long layoff the boxer badly needed to get back into shape Synonyms downtime, time-out, winterRelated Words break, breath, breather, interruption, lull, pause, recess; abeyance, doldrums, dormancy, latency, quiescence, suspense, suspension