Railroad Terminology

• Among railroad workers in particular, the word "canned" is a synonym for fired. So, it can be said, "Fred was canned from his job today." This use may be derived from the word canceled.
  
  

Related Terminology

• Canned has also come to be used to describe a television show that has been taken off the air. Similar to the railroad terminology, this is an example of the word canned being used as a synonym for canceled.
  
  

Other Terminology

• Canned can also mean intoxicated or drunk. This use may be related to the term "pickled," which can also mean drunk, since things that are pickled can be preserved in cans.