Definition, synonyms and related words
plural of holiday
"We finally booked our flight to Japan for the holidays so we could spend some quality time off work together."
(usually after possessive) holiday, vacation; time off work, especially if spent travelling away from home
In plain English: Holidays are days off from school and work when people usually celebrate or relax.
"We are planning a special dinner for the whole family during the holidays."
Usage: Use "holidays" to refer specifically to days designated for celebration or rest, such as national observances or school breaks, rather than general periods of leisure. While the word can imply a vacation, it most commonly denotes fixed dates on the calendar when work and school are suspended.
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of holiday
"She holidays in Italy every summer to escape the winter chill."
In plain English: To take a break from work or school to celebrate a special day.
"He spent his holidays fishing in the lake."
Usage: The word "holiday" functions only as a noun in modern English and has no valid verb form. You should not use it as a verb to mean celebrating or taking time off; instead, use the phrasal verb "take a holiday" or simply say someone is "on holiday."
Derived from Old English hāligdæg, meaning "holy day," the term originally referred specifically to religious feast days observed by Christians. Over time, its usage expanded in Middle English to include any day set apart from ordinary work or regular routine for celebration or rest.