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Rarelay off
The correct spelling is lay off.
How to pronounce lay off
verb
Say it like: Laee- of-f
The correct spelling is lay off. (chiefly US) (of an employer) To dismiss (workers) from employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume or through no fault of the worker, often with a severance package. For example: "Lay off the singing, will you! I'm trying to study."
Usage Examples
“Lay off the singing, will you! I'm trying to study.”
“I told him to lay off me but he wouldn't stop.”
“He shows me how to lay off the paint — and moves his paintbrush across the section he had already painted, again and again.”
Definition
verb
- 1.(chiefly US) (of an employer) To dismiss (workers) from employment, e.g. at a time of low business volume or through no fault of the worker, often with a severance package.
- 2.(of a bookmaker) To place all or part of a bet with another bookmaker in order to reduce risk.
- 3.To cease, quit, stop (doing something).
- 4.To stop bothering, teasing, or pestering someone; to leave (someone) alone.
- 5.(artisanal terminology) In painting, to apply gentle strokes to smooth a wet coat of paint so as to remove visible roller- or brush-marks, commonly using a dry brush; a similar technique, but using a loaded laying-off brush, may produce a smooth coat of paint when using a roller or the usual brush techniques would leave marks.
Similar words
Words related in meaning — check their spelling too.