busman's holiday

American  

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.

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busman's holiday British  

/ ˈbʌsmənz /

noun

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

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busman's holiday Cultural  

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.”

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busman's holiday Idioms  

1. 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]

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Etymology

Origin of busman's holiday

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

And yet, these charming pieces represent not work for hire so much as a kind of busman’s holiday, in which the author could let down his guard.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2023

Sequestered with his family for 18 months in their 1955 cabin in Esopus, New York, he embarked on a long busman’s holiday.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2022

It’s a busman’s holiday for me, and also a secret research trip.

From Nature • Sep. 11, 2019

I feel like this question is cornering us into taking a busman’s holiday, and what I really want to know is what my colleagues are planning to watch over the summer.

From New York Times • May 17, 2018

These were not a vacation from prison but a busman’s holiday.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• furlough
• sabbatical