I. va ‧ ca ‧ tion 1 S2 W3 /vəˈkeɪʃ ə n $ veɪ-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin vacatio 'freedom' , from vacare ; ⇨ ↑ vacant ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] especially American English a holiday, or time spent not working:
We're planning a vacation in Europe.
on vacation
He's on vacation this week.
We're planning to go on vacation soon.
2 . [uncountable] especially American English the number of days, weeks etc that you are allowed as paid holiday by your employer:
How much vacation do you get at your new job?
I think I have four vacation days left.
Employees are entitled to four weeks’ paid vacation annually.
3 .
a) [countable] British English one of the periods of time when a university is closed
the Christmas/Easter/summer/long vacation
b) [uncountable and countable] American English one of the periods of time when a school or university is closed
Christmas/spring/summer vacation
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ take/have a vacation
We usually take a vacation once a year.
▪ go on vacation
I'm going on vacation next month.
▪ need a vacation
You're working too hard. You need a vacation.
▪ spend a vacation
Where did you spend your vacation?
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + vacation
▪ a summer vacation
What did you do on your summer vacation?
▪ a family vacation
We had to cancel the family vacation.
▪ a long vacation
She decided to take a long vacation.
▪ a short vacation
a short vacation at the beach
▪ a two-week/three-day etc vacation
■ vacation + NOUN
▪ a vacation spot (=a place for a vacation)
The island is my favorite vacation spot.
▪ a vacation day (=a day away from work on vacation)
You could take a sick day or a vacation day.
▪ vacation plans (=an idea about what you want to do on your vacation)
Do you have any vacation plans this summer?
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say ' have vacation '. Say be on vacation .
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ vacation especially American English , holiday especially British English time you spend away from school or work:
Are you taking a vacation this summer?
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We met on holiday in Cyprus.
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What are you doing in the school holidays?
▪ holiday a day that is set by law, when no one has to go to work or school:
the Thanksgiving holiday
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New Year's Day is a national holiday.
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In 2002, there was an extra public holiday to mark the Queen's golden jubilee.
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the August bank holiday (=day when all the banks and shops are closed – used in British English)
▪ break a time when you stop working or studying in order to rest, or a short vacation from school:
a ten-minute coffee break
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Lots of college kids come to the beaches during the spring break.
▪ leave a time when you are allowed not to work:
We get four weeks' annual leave (=paid time off work each year) .
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He has been taking a lot of sick leave (=time off work because you are ill) recently.
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Angela is on maternity leave (= time off work when having a baby) .
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He was given compassionate leave (=time off work because someone close to you has died, is very ill etc) to go to his father's funeral.
▪ sabbatical [usually singular] a period when someone, especially a teacher, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel:
She was on sabbatical for six months.
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I'm thinking of taking a sabbatical.
▪ furlough a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country as a holiday:
While on furlough, he and his girlfriend got married.
▪ R & R (rest and relaxation) a holiday, especially one given to people in the army, navy etc after a long period of hard work or during a war:
Soldiers in Vietnam were taken to Hawaii for R & R.
II. vacation 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive] American English
to go somewhere for a holiday
vacation in/at
The Bernsteins are vacationing in Europe.