holiday

[[t]hɒ̱lɪdei[/t]]

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holidays, holidaying, holidayed

1) N-COUNT: also on/from N A holiday is a period of time during which you relax and enjoy yourself away from home. People sometimes refer to their holiday as their holidays. [BRIT]

I've just come back from a holiday in the United States...

We rang Duncan to ask where he was going on holiday...

Ischia is a popular seaside holiday resort...

We're going to Scotland for our holidays.

(in AM, use vacation)

2) N-COUNT: usu with supp A holiday is a day when people do not go to work or school because of a religious or national festival.

→ See also bank holiday

New Year's Day is a public holiday throughout Britain...

He invited her to spend the Fourth of July holiday at his summer home on Fire Island...

Bad weather has caused dozens of flight cancellations over the holiday weekend.

3) N-PLURAL: usu the N, oft n N The holidays are the time when children do not have to go to school. [BRIT]

...the first day of the school holidays.

(in AM, use vacation)

4) N-UNCOUNT If you have a particular number of days' or weeks' holiday, you do not have to go to work for that number of days or weeks. [BRIT]

Every worker will be entitled to four weeks' paid holiday a year.

(in AM, use vacation)

5) VERB: oft cont If you are holidaying in a place away from home, you are on holiday there. [BRIT]

[V prep/adv] Sampling the local cuisine is one of the delights of holidaying abroad...

[V-ing] Vacant rooms on the campus were being used by holidaying families.

(in AM, use vacation)