- furlough
- 1620s, from Du. verlof, lit. "permission," from M.Du. ver- "completely, for" + laf, lof "permission," which is related to the second element in believe and to leave (n.). The -gh spelling developed by 1770s and represents an "f" that was once pronounced at the end of the word but disappeared fairly soon in English. The verb is from 1783. Related: Furloughed; furloughing.