tour

[ toor ]

/ tʊər /

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See synonyms for: tour / toured / touring on Thesaurus.com

noun

a traveling around from place to place.

a long journey including the visiting of a number of places in sequence, especially with an organized group led by a guide.

a brief trip through a place, as a building or a site, in order to view or inspect it: The visiting prime minister was given a tour of the chemical plant.

a journey from town to town to fulfill engagements, as by a theatrical company or an entertainer: to go on tour; a European concert tour.

a period of duty at one place or in one job.

verb (used without object)

to travel from place to place.

to travel from town to town fulfilling engagements.

verb (used with object)

to travel through (a place).

to send or take (a theatrical company, its production, etc.) from town to town.

to guide (someone) on a tour: He toured us through the chateaus of the Loire Valley.

OTHER WORDS FOR tour

2 trip, expedition.

6, 8 visit.

See synonyms for tour on Thesaurus.com

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True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

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Origin of tour

1250–1300; Middle English (noun) <Middle French <Latin tornus<Greek tórnos tool for making a circle. See turn

OTHER WORDS FROM tour

min·i·tour, nounun·toured, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tour in a sentence

Inside Out Tours plays Santa’s little helper on its three-hour New York Holiday Markets and Christmas Lights walking tour, held Thursdays through Saturdays in December.
NYC for the holidays: The city’s classic traditions have been tweaked for the times|Andrea Sachs|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
At the handful of museums that have reopened, there are directions to meeting places for tours that will not take place.
You have until Nov. 22 to visit these six Smithsonian museums. Here’s what to expect.|Kelsey Ables|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Cartoonists canceled long-planned bookstore tours, and the grand gatherings from San Diego Comic-Con on down became virtual versions of themselves.
2020 graphic novels and comic books: Five trends that defined the year|Michael Cavna|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Barrett was cognizant of this when she placed third and was required to go on an “Idol” finalist tour across the country.
With streaming success and a debut hit, ‘American Idol’ finalist Gabby Barrett has become a country music anomaly|Emily Yahr|November 11, 2020|Washington Post

Sick passengers “used to sit next to you and cough and sneeze for hours,” remembers Phyllis Stoller, the president of the Women’s Travel Group, a small-group tour company.
How the lessons of 2020 may make travel better in the long run|Christopher Elliott|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Alexander Gilkes has partied with Jay Z in Paris and toured vineyards with the rapper, too.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty|Tim Teeman|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Prior to her marriage, she joined a psychedelic rock band, Hopewell, and toured with the band through Europe for five years.
The Sisterhood of Bulletproof Stockings: It’s Ladies’ Night for Hasidic Rockers|Emily Shire|September 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They forged ahead and toured in support of the new record for a year—then went on hiatus.
Interpol on the Arrogance of Believing Their Own Myth and Life After Carlos D.|Melissa Leon|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We toured and did 300 shows in a year, we had like four days off the whole year in like, 2001.
Not a Liquid Dream: O-Town's Back, Baby. But Where’s Ashley?|Melissa Leon|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We toured all these little islands, drank lots of wine, and it was really fun.
Game of Thrones’ Lena Headey on Cersei Lannister’s Future and That Controversial Rape Scene|Marlow Stern|June 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
André sought out Jimmy Quick, who had toured France and could make himself understood.
David Lannarck, Midget|George S. Harney
His earlier self, who had blithely toured Valier trailing the microphone wires without any real premonition of trouble.
Tight Squeeze|Dean Charles Ing
For some years before his death he had toured the country, exhibiting himself, and visited London on two occasions.
The Great North Road: London to York|Charles G. Harper
She toured the state in the spring of 1895 with Anna Howard Shaw, and everywhere she won friends.
Susan B. Anthony|Alma Lutz
We should have toured the Bernese Oberland had not motor-vehicles been barred.
The Spell of Switzerland|Nathan Haskell Dole

British Dictionary definitions for tour

tour

/ (tʊə) /

noun

an extended journey, usually taken for pleasure, visiting places of interest along the route

military a period of service, esp in one place of duty

a short trip, as for inspection

a trip made by a theatre company, orchestra, etc, to perform in several different placesa concert tour

an overseas trip made by a cricket or rugby team, etc, to play in several places

verb

to make a tour of (a place)

to perform (a show) or promote (a product) in several different places

Word Origin for tour

C14: from Old French: a turn, from Latin tornus a lathe, from Greek tornos; compare turn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tour

OTHER WORDS FOR tour

Origin of tour

OTHER WORDS FROM tour

Words related to tour

How to use tour in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tour

Word Origin for tour