long weekend
noun /ˌlɒŋ wiːkˈend/
/ˌlɔːŋ ˈwiːkend/
- a holiday of three or four days from Friday or Saturday to Sunday or Monday
- to have a long weekend in Amsterdam
- I took Friday off, and spent a long weekend visiting friends.
Culture weekendsweekendsThe weekend lasts from the end of working hours or school hours on Friday until Monday morning. For most people it is a chance to be at home with their family, play or watch sport, spend time on a hobby or go out somewhere. Both adults and children look forward to the freedom of the weekend and to having time to please themselves. On Friday people with jobs may go out for drink together after work. People who work, for example, in factories, shops, restaurants, hospitals and on public transport often have to work at weekends and instead get time off during the week. Sometimes people take an extra day off on Friday or Monday to make a long weekend. Several public holidays, such as Memorial Day in the US and Spring Bank Holiday in Britain, are on a Monday in order to create a long weekend.At the weekend (NAmE On the weekend) people may do jobs around the house, look after their garden, wash the car, play or watch sport or watch television. The weekend is also the busiest time of the week for shopping. Shops are open on both Saturday and Sunday. For a long time many British people opposed Sunday trading, but there was pressure from some of the larger stores and DIY shops to be allowed to open, and now it is normal to shop on a Sunday.Friday and Saturday nights are popular, especially among young people, for parties and visits to clubs and pubs. People also go to the theatre or cinema, eat out at a restaurant, or invite friends to their house for dinner.On Sundays many people have a lie-in (NAmE sleep in) (= stay in bed longer than usual). Some people go to church on Sunday morning. Many adults enjoy reading the Sunday newspapers and magazines while eating brunch, a combination of breakfast and lunch that includes dishes from both. Brunch is eaten between about 10 and 12 in the morning and is enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere. British people sometimes invite friends or family round for Sunday lunch. Many people go out for a walk or visit a theme park, stately home or other attraction, depending on their interests. In summer many families go out for the day to the countryside.