furlough
UK[ˈfɜːləʊ]US[ˈfɜːrloʊ]
n
a period of time when a soldier or worker is allowed to be absent, especially to return temporarily to their own home
v
to give someone permission to be absent, especially from military duty or prison
Etymology
the word 'furlough' entered english in the 17th century from dutch 'verlof', which itself is a calque, or loan translation, from german 'verlaub', meaning 'permission'. the german term is a combination of the prefix 'ver-', implying a sense of 'forth', and 'laub' (related to 'erlauben', to allow), from a proto-germanic root meaning 'to believe, trust'. the semantic journey thus moved from a concept of trust and permission granted to the specific modern meaning of a temporary, authorized leave from duty, particularly in military and institutional contexts. this shift reflects the formalization of leave systems within organized structures.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from dutch 'verlof', meaning 'permission, leave of absence'. it is considered unsegmentable in english as its constituent parts ('ver-' and '-lof') do not function as independent morphemes in the english language system.
Examples
the company was forced to put most of its staff on furlough during the economic downturn.
soldiers stationed overseas often look forward to their two-week furlough.
the prison may furlough inmates for family emergencies or work programs.