social occasion
3
2.8
- noun
- /ˈsoʊʃəl əˈkeɪʒən/
- The wedding was a large social occasion that brought together family and friends from far away.
- Jewish social occasion
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Watch on YouTubeThey don't have social occasions with their fellow Democrats or Republicans, much less across the table.
- They don't have social occasions with their fellow Democrats or Republicans, much less across the table.
- Like there might be the occasional Facebook message or WhatsApp or like seeing them at parties or social occasions.
- We realise social occasions, it's bonding with people.
Examples
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I met a White House aide once at a social occasion.
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Spirit drinking among the city's male Irish was an omnipresent pastime on all major social occasions.
Academic text (1990) -
In England, these social occasions are fixed in advance and limited in nature.
Academic text (2003) -
There were no more evening social occasions.
Fiction book (2002) -
No pressure, Bridge, but your whole future happiness now depends on how you behave on this one social occasion.
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I've mentioned before how social occasions are not what they used to be.
Blog text (21) -
One of the defendants, Mr Barker, and I met at a social occasion once.
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The sauna bath was a family occasion, like Sunday dinner, and often a social occasion among friends.
Academic text (1990) -
Colonists drank alcohol with every meal and at every social occasion.
Academic text (2010) -
Students knew each other, treated professors with customary respect, and relished social occasions.
Academic text (2007)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
An event where people meet to celebrate, eat, and have fun
267
3.7
A formal social event with food, music, and speeches
203
1.0
A meeting of people for a social or special purpose
167
3.3
A formal party after a ceremony to welcome guests
114
3.9
A large formal meal for many people to celebrate a special event
74
4.2
A formal social event such as a party or ceremony
19
1.9
A gathering where people meet to talk and enjoy themselves
7
2.7
An event where people meet to talk and spend time together
4
3.5
A formal event where people meet for a special purpose
A formal party or ceremony where many people meet
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'an event where people gather socially' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'social' (relating to communal interaction) with 'occasion' (an event). This adjective+noun composition follows a standard, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Social occasion comes from two simple ideas: the word social means people together and occasion means a special time or event. So imagine people meeting at a set time to celebrate or mark something, and that's why 'a formal or important event where people gather socially' is the meaning of Social occasion.