furlough

What it means

1. A leave of absence or vacation.
   1. UScountableuncountableEspecially one granted to a member of the armed forces, or to a prisoner.

      And I had a lot of things on my mind and I pretty well forgot my promise to Mama until I got shipped home on a special furlough for her funeral.

      1957, James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues”, in Going to Meet the Man, Dial, published 1965

   2. UKcountableuncountableEspecially one granted to a missionary.
2. countableuncountableThe documents authorizing such leave.

In a sentence

And I had a lot of things on my mind and I pretty well forgot my promise to Mama until I got shipped home on a special furlough for her funeral.

1957, James Baldwin, “Sonny’s Blues”, in Going to Meet the Man, Dial, published 1965

Where it comes from

1. Old Saxonfar-
2. GermanVerlaub
3. Middle Low Germanverlōf“furlough, permission”
4. Dutchverlof“furlough”
5. Englishfurlough

From Dutch verlof (“furlough”), probably from Middle Low German verlōf (“furlough, permission”) (possibly via German Verlaub), from the verb verlōven (“to allow”), from Old Saxon far- + lōvian (“to trust, believe”). From Middle Low German also German Verlaub, Danish forlov. Doublet of leave.