由于订单减少，公司被迫解雇了数百名工人。

Because of falling orders, the company has been forced to ___lay ___off several hundred workers.

公司开始解雇许多工人。

The company is beginning to ___lay ___off a lot of workers.

由于经济下滑，许多公司不得不解雇员工。

Due to the economic downturn, many firms have had to ___lay ___off employees.