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Busman's holiday

Posted by Bruce Kahl on January 23, 2002

In Reply to: Busman's holiday posted by Leslie on January 23, 2002

: Anyone know the origin of "busman's holiday"? I know that it means doing for recreation what you normally do as your regular work. I was wondering where/where it was first used.

Busman's Holiday:
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]

The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust

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