vacation

vacation
{{11}}vacation (n.) late 14c., "freedom from obligations, leisure, release" (from some activity or occupation), from O.Fr. vacation, from L. vacationem (nom. vacatio) "leisure, a being free from duty," noun of state from pp. stem of vacare "be empty, free, or at leisure" (see VAIN (Cf. vain)). Meanings "state of being unoccupied; process of vacating" are early 15c. Meaning "formal suspension of activity" (in reference to schools, courts, etc.) is recorded from mid-15c. As the U.S. equivalent of what in Britain is called a HOLIDAY (Cf. holiday), it is attested from 1878.
{{12}}vacation (v.) 1876, from VACATION (Cf. vacation) (n.). Related: Vacationed; vacationing.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • vacation — [ vakasjɔ̃ ] n. f. • 1390 « occupation »; de vaquer et lat. vacatio I ♦ (de vaquer) 1 ♦ Temps consacré par la justice, par des experts, à l examen d une affaire, à l accomplissement d une fonction. ⇒ séance. Spécialt Vente aux enchères …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • vacation — va‧ca‧tion [vəˈkeɪʆn ǁ veɪ ] noun [countable] 1. TRAVEL a period of time when people are on holiday or not working: • Most factories close for a few weeks in the summer for vacations and plant maintenance. • Mr Williams was on vacation and… …   Financial and business terms

  • Vacation — Va*ca tion, n. [F., fr. L. vacatio a being free from a duty, service, etc., fr. vacare. See {Vacate}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of vacating; a making void or of no force; as, the vacation of an office or a charter. [1913 Webster] 2. Intermission …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • vacation — Vacation. s. f. Certain temps que l on employe à travailler à quelque affaire. On paye tant aux experts pour chaque vacation. il luy faut tant pour ses salaires & vacations. le rapport de ce procez a duré quinze Vacations. on luy a taxé ses… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • vacation — va·ca·tion n 1: a period in which activity or work is suspended; specif: an interval between judicial terms 2: an act or instance of vacating vacation of a judgment Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • vacation — [vā kā′shən, vəkā′shən] n. [ME vacacion < MFr < L vacatio] 1. freedom from any activity; rest; respite; intermission ☆ 2. a period of rest and freedom from work, study, etc.; time of recreation, usually a specific interval in a year 3. Rare …   English World dictionary

  • vacation — is in North America the ordinary word for BrE holiday. In Britain it is only used in the context of universities and the law courts. The corresponding word for Parliament is recess …   Modern English usage

  • vacation — [n] planned time spent not working break, breathing space*, day of rest, few days off*, fiesta, furlough, holiday, intermission, layoff, leave, leave of absence, liberty, long weekend*, R and R*, recess, recreation, respite, rest, sabbatical,… …   New thesaurus

  • vacation — ► NOUN 1) a holiday period between terms in universities and law courts. 2) chiefly N. Amer. a holiday. 3) the action of vacating. ► VERB chiefly N. Amer. ▪ take a holiday. DERIVATIVES vacationer noun vacationist …   English terms dictionary

  • vacation — noun ⇨ See also ↑holiday 1 (AmE) period of time away from home for pleasure ADJECTIVE ▪ summer, winter ▪ The sisters are on summer vacation with their family. ▪ annual ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • vacation — n. period of rest (AE; CE has holiday) 1) to spend; take a vacation 2) to be on; go on vacation 3) an extended, long; paid; short vacation 4) a spring; summer; winter vacation 5) a vacation from 6) during a vacation; on vacation (she was away on… …   Combinatory dictionary

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