The phrase “get the sack” means to be dismissed or fired from a job. Its origins likely date back to 17th- and 18th-century Europe, particularly in England.

In earlier times, laborers and tradesmen often carried their tools and personal belongings in a sack. When a worker was dismissed, they were given their sack to pack up their things and leave. Over time, “getting the sack” became a common way to describe being fired.

Another theory points to French influence. The French verb sacquer means to expel or dismiss, and the word sac (sack) may have crossed into English use in this context.