Get the elbow

usgb
verb

To be dismissed or fired from a job.

After failing to meet his targets for three months in a row, Tom got the elbow.
Visual representation of "get the elbow" - To be dismissed or fired from a job

Often appears as...

  • get the elbow from
  • give someone the elbow

Usage tips

Informal, Disapproving

Idiomatic

Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "get the elbow"
LampPro Tip 1/3

Workplace Setting

Used in work-related contexts, often informally, to describe job termination.

Illustration for Workplace Setting
After the merger, several employees got the elbow.
LampPro Tip 2/3

Informal Expression

Considered casual; not typically used in formal notices or serious articles about employment.

Illustration for Informal Expression
She read the company email and learned she'd gotten the elbow.
LampPro Tip 3/3

Negative Connotation

Implies an abrupt or unwanted termination, might carry a sense of surprise or injustice.

Illustration for Negative Connotation
I can't believe I got the elbow just like that, after years of hard work!
Visual representation of the word "Get the elbow"

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