"Gave someone or her walking papers" is a phrase used to describe the act of terminating someone's employment. There are several synonyms that can be used to convey the same meaning, such as firing, dismissing, sacking, laying off, letting go, terminating, or axing. Each of these words emphasizes the act of ending someone's employment and can be used interchangeably in different contexts. For example, the company might have decided to lay off some of its employees due to financial difficulties, or the manager might have fired an underperforming employee for not meeting the expectations. Regardless of the specific word used, the outcome remains the same - the person is no longer employed by the company.