get the sack

Idioms are generally defined as groups of words that form a meaningful whole when they come together, even though the words in them do not make sense on their own. They have produced many idioms according to their own cultural characteristics in communities using the English language. What does get the sack mean? In what situations is get the sack used?

Meaning of "get the sack"

Meaning

The phrase 'get the sack' is an informal English idiom which refers to the situation where an employee is fired from their job. It can also be used to refer to a situation where an individual is dismissed, or forced to leave, from any kind of role or responsibility.

Etymology

This idiom appears to have originated in the late 19th century, originally as 'get the sack from', referring to the act of being dismissed from a job. The 'sack' in this phrase is thought to relate to being 'sacked' from a job, and the act of being 'thrown out of a job'. The use of the phrase with this meaning is first recorded in 1885, in the US newspaper 'The Inter Ocean', where it is written 'to get the sack from their positions'.

Usage

The phrase 'get the sack' is used as an idiom to mean to be fired or dismissed from a job, or any kind of role or responsibility. This phrase is most often used as a way of referring to someone else's dismissal, as opposed to referring to one's own. When talking about one's own dismissal, the phrase 'get fired' is more often used.

Example Sentences

• My colleague was caught stealing from the company, so he got the sack.
• She was responsible for the project failing, so she got the sack.
• I was worried that I'd get the sack if I made any more mistakes.

The Global Spread of English Idioms

As English has become a global language, its idioms have spread far beyond the borders of the UK and USA. For instance, the idiom "beat around the bush" has equivalents in many other languages, such as "tourner autour du pot" in French and "dar vueltas al asunto" in Spanish. Meanwhile, other idioms have been adapted for local contexts, such as the Russian idiom "?? ???? ???????" (ne svoya rubashka), which translates to "not one's own shirt," meaning to be in an uncomfortable or unfamiliar situation.