What does it Mean to ‘Get the Sack’?

To get the sack means —

• to get fired;
• to be dismissed from employment;
• to get terminated from the job.

The stories behind this phrase are a little hazy but I have taken one which makes the most sense.

Sack in this phrase refers to a bag in which tradesman and workers put their tools and belongings. Around 400 years ago, when tradesmen went on a job, they would put their sacks in a safe place, preferably in the boss’s office. At the end of their shift, they would pick up their sacks and go home.

But if the boss was not happy with any of the workers, he would literally call him in his office and give him his sack, indicating that his services are no longer needed.

Thus, the phrase ‘get the sack’ came to be used for ‘getting fired from the job’.

For example —

“She got the sack for always being late.”

She got fired because she was always late.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.