excursion

noun

1. A brief recreational trip; a journey out of the usual way.

   “While driving home I took an excursion and saw some deer.”

   “Mother[…]considered that the exclusiveness of Peter's circle was due not to its distinction, but to the fact that it was an inner Babylon of prodigality and whoredom, from which every Kensingtonian held aloof, except on the conventional tip-and-run excursions in pursuit of shopping, tea and theatres.”

2. (Australia)A field trip.
3. A wandering from the main subject: a digression.

   “Now all his ponderings, however excursive, wheeled round Isabel as their center; and back to her they came again from every excursion; and again derived some new, small germs for wonderment.”

4. An occurrence where an aircraft runs off the end or side of a runway or taxiway, usually during takeoff, landing, or taxi.
5. A deviation in pitch, for example in the syllables of enthusiastic speech.
6. Temporary deviation from a regular course or pattern

   “After an unsuccessful excursion into banking, I've returned to public life.”

verb

1. (intransitive)To go on a recreational trip or excursion.

   “1825, Charles Lamb, Letter to Mr. Wordsworth, 6 April, 1825, in The Works of Charles Lamb, Volume I, New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851, p. 249, https://books.google.ca/books?id=ypdNAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false Yesterday I excursioned twenty miles; to-day I write a few letters.”

   “After breakfast, that next morning in Chamonix, we went out in the yard and watched the gangs of excursioning tourists arriving and departing with their mules and guides and porters […]”