holiday
Noun:
- A day of celebration or commemoration when work is suspended by law or custom: A "holiday" is a specific day, often public, when normal activities like work or school are stopped to observe a special event.
- A period of leisure and recreation away from one's usual work or home: A "holiday" can also refer to a vacation, a break taken for rest or travel.
Verb:
- To spend time away from home or work for leisure or vacation: To "holiday" means to take a vacation.
Noun (Day of observance): Monday is a public holiday, so the banks will be closed.We celebrate Independence Day as a national holiday.
Noun (Vacation period): They are on holiday in Spain for two weeks.We had a lovely holiday by the seaside.
Verb: The family is holidaying in the mountains this summer.We prefer to holiday somewhere quiet.
"To make a holiday of it": To turn an event or a few days into a special break or celebration. Since the conference ends on Friday, let's make a holiday of it and stay the weekend.
"Bank holiday": An official public holiday when banks and many businesses are closed (common in the UK and Ireland). The next bank holiday is at the end of May.
Holidaymaker (n): A person on vacation; a tourist. The coastal town is full of holidaymakers in July.
Holiday (adj): Used to describe things related to a vacation. She packed her holiday clothes for the trip.
- Noun (Day): Festival, celebration, public day, feast day.
- Noun (Vacation): Vacation, break, leave, time off, recess.
- Verb: Vacation, travel, take a break.
"To take a holiday": To go on vacation. We need to take a holiday soon; we're exhausted.
"To be on holiday": To be in the process of enjoying a vacation. Please call back next week; the manager is on holiday.
"A busman's holiday": A holiday or break where you do the same thing you do at work. The chef went to a cooking class on his day off—a real busman's holiday!
"Holiday spirit": A feeling of cheerfulness and goodwill associated with a festive season. Decorating the tree really put us in the holiday spirit.
- a day on which work is suspended by law or custom
- no mail is delivered on federal holidays
- it's a good thing that New Year's was a holiday because everyone had a hangover
- leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
- we get two weeks of vacation every summer
- we took a short holiday in Puerto Rico
- spend or take a vacation