furlough

Universal Words noun [U,C] 1 permission to leave your duties for a period of time, especially for soldiers working in a foreign country: to go home on furlough * a six-week furlough 2 (AmE) permission for a prisoner to leave prison for a period of time 3 (AmE) a period of time during which workers are told not to come to work, usually because there is not enough money to pay them furlough verb [VN]