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Synonyms

Roman holiday

American  

noun

  1. a public spectacle or controversy marked by barbarism, vindictiveness, or scandal.

  2. pleasure or advantage gained from the discomfort or suffering of others.

Roman holiday British  

noun

  1. entertainment or pleasure that depends on the suffering of others

"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

Etymology

Origin of Roman holiday

First recorded in 1885–90

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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