Noun

Singular vacation

Plural vacations

vacation (plural vacations)

1. (US) leisure time, at least a whole day but usually longer (typical are one to three weeks), away from work or duty and devoted to rest or pleasure.
2. (US) (law) the act of making legally void.
3. the act of vacating something; moving out of something.

   The Conservative Party’s vacation of the centre ground gave an opportunity to its opponents.

4. a holiday period for a law court or university.

A holiday is, in the English-speaking world, a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observation is warranted. Examples of types of holidays include:

• Official or unofficial observances of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities
• A general leave of absence or vacation from a regular occupation for rest or recreation
• A specific trip or journey for the purposes of recreation or tourism

People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances, or for specific festivals or celebrations. Vacation or holidays are often used spent with friends or family.

A person may take a longer break from work, such as a sabbatical, gap year, or career break.

Holiday

The word "holiday" comes from the Old English word hāligdæg. The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days off work or school. The word derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form.

Vacation

In the United Kingdom, vacation once specifically referred to the long summer break taken by the law courts and, later, universities—a custom introduced by William the Conqueror from Normandy where it facilitated the grape harvest. The French term is similar to American English: "Les Vacances". In the past, many upper-class families moved to a summer home for part of the year, leaving their usual family home vacant.

Quotes about vacation

Sourced

• The family is always the family but during vacations it is an extended family and that is exhausting.
  • Gertrude Stein, Paris, France, 1940 (New York: Liveright, 1970, p. 107).

• Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer.
  • Cowardly Lion (Wizard of Oz)

• I need a vacation.
  • The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Terminator 2.

• Vacation All I ever wanted Vacation Had to get away Vacation Meant to be spent alone.
  • "Vacation", Vacation, The Go-Go's.

• What Dad means by "see" of course, is "drive past at 67 miles per hour." Dad feels it is a foolish waste of valuable vacation time to get out of the car and actually go look at an attraction.
  • Dave Barry, Dave Barry's Only Travel Guide You'll Ever Need.

Unsourced

• The worst day at the beach is better than the best day at work"
  • Unknown

External links