shore leave
Americannoun
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permission to spend time ashore, usually 48 hours or more, granted a member of a ship's company.
-
the time spent ashore during such leave.
noun
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permission to go ashore Compare liberty
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time spent ashore during leave
Etymology
Origin of shore leave
First recorded in 1905–10
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This is a lighthearted comic dance about sailors on shore leave in World War II.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
The Navy was big business for Long Beach, and for the Pike, where thousands of Navy “gobs” stationed here spent some of their shore leave and their earnings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2025
An Israeli official said Ankara had submitted a preliminary request for the crew to disembark on shore leave.
From Reuters ● Sep. 4, 2022
And, of course, the service members take advantage of their shore leave to explore the city’s many diversions.
From New York Times ● May 28, 2022
Conversation: men and women joking, talking about shore leave.
From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi
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.
