vacation

Pluralvacations

Formsvacations, vacationing, vacationed

1. 1
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A stretch of leisure time spent away from work or duty and given over to rest or pleasure.

   They booked a two-week vacation in the Caribbean to escape the winter.

   He came back from his vacation tanned and noticeably more relaxed.

   Similarholiday, trip, getaway, break

2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A lengthy break from one's job or studies.

   The school's winter vacation runs from late December into January.

   After months without a break, she finally took a proper vacation.

   Similarholiday, break, leave, recess

   Note

   Here the word measures absence rather than pleasure: time off work or school, however it is spent. It most often sits in the phrase on vacation, as in schoolchildren are on vacation this week, where it names a state someone is in rather than a trip they take. Pair it with be or go: be on vacation, go on vacation.

3. 3
   verbintransitive

   To spend or take a period of leisure away from work or duty.

   Wealthy families once vacationed at the same seaside resort each August.

   Many retirees vacation abroad now that they have the time and freedom.

   Similarholiday, travel, summer

   Note

   A verb taken straight from the noun, and an intransitive one: people vacation somewhere, but never vacation something. A place phrase usually follows, as in vacationing in Mexico or vacationing at a resort. The forms are regular: vacations, vacationing, vacationed, with no doubled n before the ending.

4. 4
   nouncountable

   A period during which official activity or business is formally suspended, such as an official recess of a university or the law courts.

   The judges scheduled no hearings until after the court's vacation.

   Students returned after the Easter vacation to resume their studies.

   Similarrecess, break, holiday

   Oppositeterm, session

5. 5
   nouncountable or uncountable

   Freedom from some particular business or activity.

   She wanted a brief vacation from the constant noise of social media.

   The sabbatical felt like a real vacation from his administrative duties.

   Similarbreak, respite, rest, holiday, escape

   Note

   The image at the root of the word: vacation is vacate plus -ion, and here what gets emptied is a stretch of time, cleared of one particular business. That is why it so naturally takes from: a vacation from noise, a vacation from his duties. Without that from-phrase the word drifts toward the holiday sense, so keep the complement when you mean relief from one specific thing.

6. 6
   noununcountable

   The act of vacating something, such as moving out of a property.

   The eviction notice set a firm date for vacation of the premises.

   Prompt vacation of the building allowed renovations to begin a week early.

   Similarevacuation, departure

   Oppositeoccupation, occupancy

   Note

   Here the noun stays closest to its verb: vacate plus -ion, the act of leaving something empty. It almost always takes an of-phrase naming what is left, such as premises or a building, and it stretches easily to abstract ground: a party's vacation of the center ground hands that space to its rivals. The of-phrase is what separates it from the holiday meaning, since nobody takes a vacation of anything.

7. 7
   nounUSuncountable

   The act of making a court order or judgment legally void.

   Defense counsel moved for vacation of the conviction in light of new evidence.

   The appeals court ordered vacation of the lower court's judgment.

   Similarannulment, nullification, invalidation, reversal

   Oppositeaffirmance, affirmation

   Note

   A courtroom term in US law. To vacate a judgment is to annul it, and vacation is the noun for that act, as in vacation of the conviction or vacation of the judgment. Legal writing can also use the word for a court's formal recess. The of-phrase naming a ruling marks the annulment, while a time phrase such as after the vacation marks the break.

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