marching orders

marching orders
   dismissal from employment
   Not immediately into action but permanently out of it:
    Sir John Brown said the oil giant... had given 12,000 employees their marching orders by the end of July with another 2,500 expected by the end of the year. (Daily Telegraph, 11 August 1999)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • marching orders — UK US noun [plural] (US INFORMAL walking papers) ► HR, WORKPLACE if you give someone their marching orders, you ask them to leave a job, usually because they have done something wrong: »She was called into the manager s office and given her… …   Financial and business terms

  • marching orders — n. 1. orders to march, go, or leave 2. notice of dismissal …   English World dictionary

  • marching orders — ► NOUN 1) instructions for troops to depart. 2) informal a dismissal …   English terms dictionary

  • marching orders — UK [ˈmɑː(r)tʃɪŋ ˌɔː(r)də(r)z] / US [ˈmɑrtʃɪŋ ˌɔrdərz] noun [plural] informal an act of telling someone that they must leave a place or that they are no longer wanted, needed, or employed give someone their marching orders: The boss gave him his… …   English dictionary

  • marching orders — noun 1. (informal) a notice of dismissal or discharge • Syn: ↑walking papers • Hypernyms: ↑dismissal, ↑dismission, ↑pink slip 2. an order from a superior officer for troops to depart …   Useful english dictionary

  • marching orders — n. notice of dismissal (colloq.) (BE) to give smb. her/his marching orders (AE has walking papers) * * * [ mɑːtʃɪŋˌɔːdəz] [ notice of dismissal ] (colloq.) (BE) to give smb. her/his marching orders (AE has walking papers) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • marching orders — march|ing or|ders [ martʃıŋ ,ɔrdərz ] noun plural INFORMAL an act of telling someone that they must leave a place or that they are no longer wanted, needed, or employed: give someone their marching orders: The boss gave him his marching orders… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • marching orders — 1. Mil. orders to begin a march or other troop movement. 2. Informal. a. orders to start out, move on, proceed, etc.: We re just sitting by the phone, awaiting our marching orders. b. notice of dismissal from a position or job; walking papers.… …   Universalium

  • marching orders — /ˈmatʃɪŋ ɔdəz / (say mahching awduhz) plural noun 1. Military directions to soldiers to proceed in order to take position for battle, etc.: the brigade received its marching orders shortly after the general s visit. 2. orders to leave; dismissal… …  

  • marching orders — noun /ˈmɑɹtʃɪŋˌɔɹɾɹ̩z/ a) Instructions for action. I get my marching orders directly from the president. b) Dismissal: an instruction to leave …   Wiktionary

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