# Does anyone know where the term "getting the sack" comes from?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-the-term-getting-the-sack-comes-from/378838>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 2, 2006, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-the-term-getting-the-sack-comes-from/378838 "2006-11-02T11:35:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-the-term-getting-the-sack-comes-from/378838/1 "2006-11-02T11:35:14Z")

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I imagine it’s something from the industrial/pre-industrial period, but if anyone knows I’d be interested.

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**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-the-term-getting-the-sack-comes-from/378838/2 "2006-11-02T12:31:36Z")

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[QUOTE=Illuminatiprimus]  
I imagine it’s something from the industrial/pre-industrial period, but if anyone knows I’d be interested.  
[/QUOTE]

No cite at present, but I believe it is from the French- being given your sack to take your tools away with you. Will check for sources.

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**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-the-term-getting-the-sack-comes-from/378838/3 "2006-11-02T13:01:35Z")

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**Pjen** has it.

[The Phrase Finder for “Get the sack”](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/151100.html)

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**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-the-term-getting-the-sack-comes-from/378838/4 "2006-11-02T13:24:32Z")

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[QUOTE=daffyduck]  
**Pjen** has it.

[The Phrase Finder for “Get the sack”](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/151100.html)  
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Thanks **daffyduck** I had just come back to start searching for cites.