To lay off is to dismiss workers because there is no work. Lay off two hundred staff, laid off in the spring.
It blames the lack of work rather than the worker, which is what separates it from being sacked. Said to a person it also means stop, as in lay off the biscuits.
1phraselay offTo dismiss workers because there is no work.
“The yard had to lay off half the fitters.”
lay off is a phrase.
Practised in Phrasal Verbs