\Hol"i*day\, n. [Holy + day.]
1. A consecrated day; religious anniversary; a day set apart
   in honor of some person, or in commemoration of some
   event. See {Holyday}.
2. A day of exemption from labor; a day of amusement and
   gayety; a festival day.
         And young and old come forth to play On a sunshine
         holiday.                              --Milton.
3. (Law) A day fixed by law for suspension of business; a
   legal holiday.
Note: In the United States legal holidays, so called, are
      determined by law, commonly by the statutes of the
      several States. The holidays most generally observed
      are: the 22d day of February (Washington's birthday),
      the 30th day of May (Memorial day), the 4th day of July
      (Independence day), the 25th day of December (Christmas
      day). In most of the States the 1st day of January is a
      holiday. When any of these days falls on Sunday,
      usually the Monday following is observed as the
      holiday. In many of the States a day in the spring (as
      Good Friday, or the first Thursday in April), and a day
      in the fall (as the last Thursday in November) are now
      regularly appointed by Executive proclamation to be
      observed, the former as a day of fasting and prayer,
      the latter as a day of thanksgiving and are kept as
      holidays. In England, the days of the greater church
      feasts (designated in the calendar by a red letter, and
      commonly called red-letter days) are observed as
      general holidays. Bank holidays are those on which, by
      act of Parliament, banks may suspend business. Although
      Sunday is a holiday in the sense of a day when business
      is legally suspended, it is not usually included in the
      general term, the phrase ``Sundays and holidays'' being
      more common.
{The holidays}, any fixed or usual period for relaxation or
   festivity; especially, Christmas and New Year's day with
   the intervening time.

\Hol`i*day\, a.
1. Of or pertaining to a festival; cheerful; joyous; gay.
   --Shak.
2. Occurring rarely; adapted for a special occasion.
         Courage is but a holiday kind of virtue, to be
         seldom exercised.                     --Dryden.