# holiday

Pronunciation: US say "HOL-uh-day" /ˈhɑləˌdeɪ/; UK say "HOL-i-day" /ˈhɒlɪdeɪ/

## Noun

1. A day set aside by law or custom for a celebration, religious festival, or national event, often with time off work.
   - Simple: A day set aside for a celebration or special event, often with time off work.
   - _Independence Day is a national holiday observed right across the country._
   - _Several holidays on the calendar mark important religious festivals._
2. A period of one or more days taken away from work for leisure and often travel. *(Australia, UK)*
   - Simple: Time taken off work to rest, relax, or travel for fun.
   - _They booked a two-week holiday in the Lake District._
   - _Most of the office takes their holidays in August._
3. A period during which pupils do not attend school, often falling between terms. *(Australia, UK)*
   - Simple: A time when schools are closed and children do not have lessons.
   - _The Easter holiday gives schoolchildren about two weeks off._
   - _Teachers prepare next year's lessons during the long summer holidays._
6. An agreed period during which the usual payments, such as on a loan or tax, are not made.
   - Simple: A time when, by agreement, you do not have to make your usual payments.
   - _The lender agreed to a payment holiday while the borrower recovered financially._
   - _The government introduced a tax holiday to encourage new investment._
4. The end-of-year season that takes in Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Day.
   - Simple: The time of year around Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Day.
   - _Flights home to Chicago were sold out weeks before the holidays._
   - _Retailers count on strong holiday sales every December._

## Verb

5. To spend a holiday, usually by going away somewhere for rest or pleasure. *(British)*
   - Simple: To spend time off work or school resting or having fun, often on a trip.
   - _Every summer they holiday in a small village on the Cornish coast._
   - _Many British families holiday in Spain for its reliable summer sunshine._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A gap left in coverage, such as a spot missed by paint on a surface or a blank area in sonar imagery.

## Origin

From Middle English holyday, from Old English hāliġdæġ ("holy day, Sabbath"), which is simply "holy" plus "day." It is related to Danish helligdag and Swedish helgdag, both meaning "holiday."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/holiday (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).