avocation

English

WOTD – 22 June 2012    

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Latin āvocātiōnem, from avocō.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /avə(ʊ)ˈkeɪʃən/
• (US) IPA: /ævoʊˈkeɪʃən/, /ævəˈkeɪʃən/

Noun

avocation (plural avocations)

1. (obsolete) A calling away; a diversion.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 204:

     But though she could neither sleep nor rest in her bed, yet, having no avocation from it, she was found there by her father at his return from Allworthy's, which was not till past ten o'clock in the morning.

2. A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit.
3. That which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation.
4. Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.

Translations

calling away; diversion

• Bulgarian: развлечение (bg) (razvlečenie), странично занимание (bg) (stranično zanimanie)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 娛樂 (cmn), 娱乐 (cmn) (yúlè)

• Russian: развлечение (ru) (razvlečénije) n

hobby

• Bulgarian: хоби (bg) (hobi)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 愛好 (cmn), 爱好 (cmn) (àihào), 興趣 (cmn), 兴趣 (cmn) (xìngqù)

• Finnish: harrastus (fi)
• Russian: хобби (ru) (xóbbi) n (indeclinable)
• Spanish: pasatiempo (es) m, afición (es) f

that which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation

• Russian: развлечение (ru) (razvlečénije) n

usual employment; vocation

• Bulgarian: призвание (bg) (prizvanie)
• Finnish: työ (fi)

• Russian: призвание (ru) (prizvánije) n

See also

• volunteerism