Sack, to Get/Give the 💼
To be fired or dismissed from work; to fire someone. This slangy expression dates from the seventeenth century or even earlier, probably originating in France. In those days, workmen provided their own tools and carried them in a bag—sac in French—which they took away with them upon leaving.
Consider your modern-day briefcase and imagine leaving the office with it because you’ve just been handed your walking papers. Ah, the not-so-sweet romance of employment termination!
Famous usage:
The term appears in Randle Cotgrave’s dictionary of 1611, under sac (“On luy a donné son sac—said of a servant whom his master hath put away”), and a similar term was used in Dutch as well.
A newer synonym is to get/give the “ax”, which dates back to the second half of the 1800s and alludes to the executioner’s ax. Both expressions also have been reduced to verbs meaning “to fire”:
- “I got sacked this morning.”
- “The board axed the proposal for a new school building.”
Synonyms:
- Let go
- Terminated
- Laid off
- Pink-slipped
Antonyms:
- Hired
- Employed
- Promoted
Humor-filled Quotes:
- “I didn’t know what ‘getting the sack’ meant until today, and now…wow, do I miss my desk!”
- “What do you call a tree that gets fired? Axed timber!”
Proverbs:
- “When one door closes, another one opens.”
- “He who laughs last, thinks slowest.”
Recommended Read:
- Book: “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson - A quick read on coping with change, whether you’re getting the sack or giving it.
- Song: “Take This Job and Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck - The perfect anthem for anyone just handed their pink slip.
- Movie: “Office Space” (1999) - Cult classic that hilariously critiques corporate America and the pains of losing one’s job.
- Poetry: “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost - For philosophical musings after career-altering moments.
Thank you for journeying into the quirky world of idioms with us! Always remember, every “sack” might just carry the seeds of new opportunities. Keep that metaphorical tool bag packed with positivity and good humor.
Yours in linguistic curiosity,
W. T. Bemocked
