va‧ca‧tion 1 S2 W3 / vəkeɪʃ ə n $ veɪ- / 名词
1 [可数和不可数名词] 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 [不可数名词] 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) [可数名词] British English one of the periods of time when a university is closed
the Christmas/Easter/summer/long vacation
b) [可数和不可数名词] American English one of the periods of time when a school or university is closed
Christmas/spring/summer vacation
COLLOCATIONS
动词
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? | We met on holiday in Cyprus. | 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 | New Year’s Day is a national holiday . | In 2002, there was an extra public holiday to mark the Queen’s golden jubilee. | 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 | 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 ) . | He has been taking a lot of sick leave (= time off work because you are ill ) recently. | Angela is on maternity leave (= time off work when having a baby ) . | 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 [通常单数形式] 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. | 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.