From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfurloughfur‧lough /ˈfɜːləʊ $ ˈfɜːrloʊ/ noun [countable, uncountable] 1 PERIOD OF TIMEa period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country SYN leave a young soldier home on furlough2 American English a period of time when workers are told not to work, especially because there is not enough money to pay them → layoff workers forced to take a long, unpaid furlough3 American English a short period of time during which a prisoner is allowed to leave prison before returning Morton stabbed the man while on furlough. —furlough verb [transitive] American English 280,000 federal workers have been furloughed.
Examples from the Corpus
furlough• The mayor has ordered a four-day furlough for 26,000 city employees.• Although it was her first furlough she was using it to study for her Master's Degree at Sidney University.• On my first furlough I sought her out, and attended her course of lectures.• During the last year before her furlough one hundred and seventeen new soldiers had been sworn in at the Howard corps.• After this last furlough we paid a last sad visit to the school and found a small girl crying her heart out.• If they did not return, their regiment could have no more furloughs.• The men on furlough returned with bright faces.on furlough• The men on furlough returned with bright faces.• They will live in barracks, eat food from local butchers, bakeries and dairies, and visit town on furlough.• Last time I saw Jenkins was when he was on furlough back in July.• Horton escaped while on furlough and stabbed a man and raped a woman in Maryland.on furlough• The men on furlough returned with bright faces.• They will live in barracks, eat food from local butchers, bakeries and dairies, and visit town on furlough.• Horton escaped while on furlough and stabbed a man and raped a woman in Maryland.Origin furlough (1600-1700) Dutch verlof “permission” 