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leisure

[ lee-zher, lezh-er ]
/ ˈli ʒər, ˈlɛʒ ər /
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noun
freedom from the demands of work or duty: She looked forward to retirement and a life of leisure.
time free from the demands of work or duty, when one can rest, enjoy hobbies or sports, etc.: Most evenings he had the leisure in which to follow his interests.
unhurried ease: a work written with leisure and grace.
adjective
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Idioms about leisure

    at leisure,
    1. with free or unrestricted time.
    2. without haste; slowly.
    3. out of work; unemployed: Because of the failure of the magazine, many experienced editors are now at leisure.
    at one's leisure, when one has free time; at one's convenience: Take this book and read it at your leisure.

Origin of leisure

1250–1300; Middle English leisir<Old French, noun use of infinitive ≪ Latin licēre to be permitted

OTHER WORDS FROM leisure

lei·sur·a·ble, adjectivelei·sure·less, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use leisure in a sentence

  • And then he kissed her, and did to her pleasaunce as it pleased them both at times and leisures.

  • Cursed when, for soft, indulgent leisures, He lays for us the pillows straight!

    Faust|Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

British Dictionary definitions for leisure

leisure
/ (ˈlɛʒə, US ˈliːʒər) /

noun
  1. time or opportunity for ease, relaxation, etc
  2. (as modifier)leisure activities
ease or leisureliness
at leisure
  1. having free time for ease, relaxation, etc
  2. not occupied or engaged
  3. without hurrying
at one's leisure when one has free time

Word Origin for leisure

C14: from Old French leisir; ultimately from Latin licēre to be allowed
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with leisure

leisure

see at leisure; at one's leisure.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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