busman's holiday

English

Etymology

First recorded in 1893 in the UK. The idea is that a busman, to go off on a holiday, would take an excursion by bus, thereby engaging in a similar activity to his work.

Noun

busman's holiday (plural busman's holidays)

1. (idiomatic) A holiday or vacation during which one does something similar to what one does as work.

References

• Michael Quinion (2004) “Busman's holiday”, in Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books in association with Penguin Books, →ISBN.