half holiday
Definition
- Noun:
- A day off from work or school for part of the day: A "half holiday" is a day, typically a working or school day, on which one is excused from duties for only a portion of the day, often the afternoon or the morning.
Usage Examples
- (A day off only for the afternoon.)
- (He took time off for part of the workday.)
- (A partial day off for celebrations.)
Advanced Usage
"to have a half holiday": to be granted a partial day off.
- The employees had a half holiday on the company's anniversary. (They worked only the morning.)
"a half-holiday atmosphere": a mood of relaxation or festivity associated with a shortened workday.
- The town had a half-holiday atmosphere when the parade began. (The mood was festive due to the partial day off.)
Variants and Related Words
Half-day (n): a period of half a day, often used interchangeably with "half holiday" but more general.
- We worked a half-day on Saturday. (We worked only the morning or afternoon.)
Holiday (n): a day of rest or celebration when work or school is suspended entirely.
- Christmas is a public holiday. (A full day off.)
Synonyms
- Partial holiday: a day off for only part of the day.
- Half-day off: a shortened work or school day.
Related Idioms
- "A half holiday is better than none": a proverb meaning any amount of rest or leisure, even partial, is beneficial.
- Even though we only had a half holiday, it was a welcome break. (A partial day off was appreciated.)
Usage Note
- The term "half holiday" is somewhat formal or old-fashioned in modern English, often replaced by "half-day" or "half-day off" in informal contexts. It is most commonly used in British English and in historical or legal contexts.