give the bounce
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (informal, idiomatic): 1. To dismiss or terminate someone from a job or position abruptly. 2. To end a romantic or personal relationship suddenly and decisively.
Usage
This is an informal, idiomatic phrasal verb. It is used to describe the act of ending something, especially a job or a relationship, in a sudden and often unceremonious manner. The subject is the person who does the terminating, and the object is the person who is terminated.
Examples
- The new manager gave half the sales team the bounce in his first week.
- After years of poor performance, the company finally gave him the bounce.
- She found out he was lying and gave him the bounce immediately.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies a lack of warning or a final, decisive action. It can carry a slightly harsh or unsympathetic tone.
- While commonly used for employment and romantic contexts, it can be applied to ending any association, such as a membership or a business partnership.
- The structure is fixed: .
Variants and Related Words
- Give someone the axe/sack (idiom, verb): Has the same meaning as "give the bounce." ("The board gave the CEO the axe.")
- Fire (verb): A more standard, direct synonym for dismissing from a job.
- Dump (verb, informal): A common synonym for ending a romantic relationship.
Synonyms
- Dismiss
- Terminate
- Fire
- Sack (UK informal)
- Dump (for relationships)
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Bounce out (verb, informal): To eject or force someone to leave a place. ("The bouncer bounced him out of the club.")
- Let someone go (verb phrase): A more euphemistic way to say to dismiss someone from a job.
Related Idioms
- Get the bounce/axe/sack (idiom, verb): To be the one who is dismissed or rejected. This is the passive perspective. ("He got the bounce after the merger.")
- Show someone the door (idiom): To ask or tell someone to leave.
Verb
- terminate a relationship abruptly
- Mary gave John the axe after she saw him with another woman