busman's holiday

noun

1. a vacation or day off from work spent in an activity closely resembling one's work, as a bus driver taking a long drive.

busman's holiday

/ ˈbʌsmənz /

noun

1. informal,  a holiday spent doing the same sort of thing as one does at work

busman's holiday

1. A vacation during which a person engages in activity that is the same as or similar to his or her usual employment: “Our Spanish professor had a busman's holiday this year; she spent her entire vacation doing research in Spain.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of busman's holiday¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Word History and Origins

Origin of busman's holiday¹

C20: alluding to a bus driver having a driving holiday

Idioms and Phrases

Free time spent in much the same pursuit as one's work. For example, Weather permitting, the lifeguard spent all her days off at the beach—a real busman's holiday. The term alludes to a bus driver spending his day off taking a long bus ride. [Late 1800s]

Related Words

• furlough 
• sabbatical