Sacking
'sækɪŋ
Definitions
4 meaningsTo dismiss someone from their job; to fire.
'sækɪŋ
To dismiss someone from a job.
The company decided to sack several employees to cut costs.
💡 Simply: Imagine your boss puts you in a giant sack and throws you out of the company because you didn't do a good job. That's being sacked – it means losing your job!
👶 For kids: When someone gets sacked, it means they lose their job and can't work there anymore.
More Examples
He was sacked for repeatedly arriving late to work.
If you keep making mistakes, you might get sacked.
How It's Used
"The company is sacking employees due to financial difficulties."
"The manager was sacked after the team's poor performance."
To plunder and destroy a captured place, especially a city or town.
'sækɪŋ
To plunder and destroy a captured city or town.
The barbarians sacked the city, taking its treasures and burning its buildings.
💡 Simply: Think of pirates coming into a town, stealing everything valuable, and destroying the place. That's sacking - very bad news for the townspeople!
👶 For kids: When people sack a place, they steal everything and break things.
More Examples
Historians often study the events leading up to the sacking of Rome.
The soldiers were accused of sacking the village and taking the villagers' possessions.
How It's Used
"The Roman legions sacked many cities during their conquests."
"After the battle, the victors began sacking the defeated city."
The act of dismissing someone from a job.
'sækɪŋ
The workers feared a wave of sackings due to the economic downturn.
💡 Simply: It's the moment when you find out you've been fired – that's a sacking!
👶 For kids: When someone gets a sacking, it's the day they get fired.
More Examples
The company's decision led to numerous sackings of skilled workers.
The sacking of the CEO was a surprise to everyone.
How It's Used
"The threat of sacking loomed over the employees during the financial crisis."
"The unfair sacking of the employee led to a legal dispute."
The act of plundering and destroying a place.
'sækɪŋ
The report described the horrors of the sacking of the town.
💡 Simply: The destructive aftermath of a city being ransacked - that's a sacking.
👶 For kids: When a place is sacked, it means people stole everything and broke things.
More Examples
The sacking of the capital city brought an end to the empire.
The city was devastated after the sacking.
How It's Used
"The sacking of the city led to a period of chaos and violence."
"The historian detailed the events leading up to the sacking of the castle."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
get the sack
To be fired from a job.
"If you keep arriving late, you'll get the sack."
From Middle English sakken, from Old English saccian ('to put into a sack, plunder'), from *sacc* ('sack'). The word's development reflects both its origin and its eventual association with military or employment contexts.
The term 'sacking' has been used since the 14th century to refer to the act of plundering, and by the 19th century also came to mean the dismissal of a person.
Memory tip
Think of a sack used to carry someone's belongings after they are fired.
Word Origin
"to put into a sack, plunder"