Definitions HQ

Leisure (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠what the genuine thinker longs for above all, and what the ordinary scholar flees, not knowing what to do with it; books are his fly-swatters against boredom.

Leisure (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠gained by the industrious through excess of exertion, and then they can only count the hours until it expires.

Leisure (n.) makes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the strongest natures possible, as do adventure, unbelief and even dissipation — and destroys middling ones, who are perfected by the herd virtues.

Leisure (n.) keeps ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠works of art in demand because most of those who possess it believe they will never get through the day without music, the theatre, galleries, novels and poems, and if deprived of these they would either stop striving after leisure so eagerly or, still possessing it, learn to reflect.

Leisure (n.) now ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠needs an excuse — 'one owes it to one's health' — and joy is ashamed of itself; formerly it was work that had the bad conscience.

Leisure (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠open, like adventure, disbelief and even debauchery, only to the strongest natures, and would be fatal to the weaker.