give someone the heave-ho

English

Alternative forms

• give somebody the old heave-ho

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Verb

give someone the heave-ho (third-person singular simple present gives someone the heave-ho, present participle giving someone the heave-ho, simple past gave someone the heave-ho, past participle given someone the heave-ho)

1. (idiomatic, British) To fire, expel or break up with someone.

   I'm looking for work again because they gave me the heave-ho.

   • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter X:

     I accused her in set terms of giving me the heave-ho in order that she could mercenarily marry a richer man.

2. (baseball) To eject a player or manager from the game.

Synonyms

• give the axe, give the elbow, give someone the boot; see also Thesaurus:lay off