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Vacation
A vacation, or holiday, is a leave of absence from a regular occupation, or a specific trip or journey, usually for the purpose of recreation or tourism. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances, or for specific festivals or celebrations. Vacations are often spent with friends or family.A person may take a longer break from work, such as a sabbatical, gap year, or career break.
The concept of taking a vacation is a recent invention, and has developed through the last two centuries. Historically, the idea of travel for recreation was a luxury that only wealthy people could afford (see Grand Tour). In the Puritan culture of early America, taking a break from work for reasons other than weekly observance of the Sabbath was frowned upon. However, the modern concept of vacation was led by a later religious movement encouraging spiritual retreat and recreation. The notion of breaking from work periodically took root among the middle and working class.
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Spell (noun)
Words or a formula supposed to have magical powers. from 16th c.
“He cast a spell to cure warts.”
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Spell (noun)
A magical effect or influence induced by an incantation or formula. from 16th c.
“under a spell”
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Spell (noun)
Speech, discourse. 8th-15th c.
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Spell (noun)
A shift (of work); a set of workers responsible for a specific turn of labour. from 16th c.
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Spell (noun)
A definite period (of work or other activity). from 18th c.
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Spell (noun)
An indefinite period of time (usually with a qualifier); by extension, a relatively short distance. from 18th c.
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Spell (noun)
A period of rest; time off. from 19th c.
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Spell (noun)
A period of illness, or sudden interval of bad spirits, disease etc. from 19th c.
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Spell (noun)
An uninterrupted series of alternate overs bowled by a single bowler. from 20th c.
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Spell (noun)
A splinter, usually of wood; a spelk.
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Spell (noun)
The wooden bat in the game of trap ball, or knurr and spell.
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Spell (verb)
To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
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Spell (verb)
To speak, to declaim. 9th-16th c.
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Spell (verb)
To tell; to relate; to teach.
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Spell (verb)
To read (something) as though letter by letter; to peruse slowly or with effort. from 14th c.
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Spell (verb)
To write or say the letters that form a word or part of a word. from 16th c.
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Spell (verb)
To be able to write or say the letters that form words.
“I find it difficult to spell because I’m dyslexic.”
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Spell (verb)
Of letters: to compose (a word). from 19th c.
“The letters “a”, “n” and “d” spell “and”.”
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Spell (verb)
To indicate that (some event) will occur. from 19th c.
“This spells trouble.”
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Spell (verb)
To clarify; to explain in detail. from 20th c.
“Please spell it out for me.”
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Spell (verb)
To constitute; to measure.
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Spell (verb)
To work in place of (someone).
“to spell the helmsman”
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Spell (verb)
To rest (someone or something), to give someone or something a rest or break.
“They spelled the horses and rested in the shade of some trees near a brook.”
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Spell (verb)
To rest from work for a time.
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Vacation (noun)
Freedom from some business or activity. from 14th c.
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Vacation (noun)
Free time given over to a specific purpose; occupation, activity. 15th-17th c.
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Vacation (noun)
A period during which official activity or business is formally suspended; an official holiday from university, law courts etc. from 15th c.
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Vacation (noun)
A holiday; a stretch of leisure time away from work or duty and devoted to rest or pleasure. from 19th c.
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Vacation (noun)
The act of vacating something; moving out. from 19th c.
“The Conservative Party’s vacation of the centre ground gave an opportunity to its opponents.”
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Vacation (noun)
The act of making legally void.
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Vacation (verb)
To spend or take a vacation.
“This year, we’re vacationing in Mexico.”