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Tours

[too r; French toor]
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noun
  1. a city in and the capital of Indre-et-Loire, in W France, on the Loire River: Charles Martel defeated the Saracens near here a.d. 732.
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tour

[too r]
noun
  1. a traveling around from place to place.
  2. a long journey including the visiting of a number of places in sequence, especially with an organized group led by a guide.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. a period of duty at one place or in one job.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to travel from place to place.
  2. to travel from town to town fulfilling engagements.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to travel through (a place).
  2. to send or take (a theatrical company, its production, etc.) from town to town.
  3. to guide (someone) on a tour: He toured us through the chateaus of the Loire Valley.
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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
Related formsmin·i·tour, nounun·toured, adjective

Synonyms

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2. trip, expedition. 6, 8. visit.

Indre-et-Loire

[an-drey-lwar]
noun
  1. a department in W central France. 2378 sq. mi. (6160 sq. km). Capital: Tours.
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Touraine

[too-ren; French too-ren]
noun
  1. a former province in W France. Capital: Tours.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

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British Dictionary definitions for tours

Tours

noun
  1. a town in W central France, on the River Loire: nearby is the scene of the defeat of the Arabs in 732, which ended the advance of Islam in W Europe. Pop: 132 820 (1999)
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Indre-et-Loire

noun
  1. a department of W central France in the Centre region: contains many famous châteaux along the Loire. Capital: Tours. Pop: 563 062 (2003 est). Area: 6158 sq km (2402 sq miles)
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tour

noun
  1. an extended journey, usually taken for pleasure, visiting places of interest along the route
  2. military a period of service, esp in one place of duty
  3. a short trip, as for inspection
  4. a trip made by a theatre company, orchestra, etc, to perform in several different placesa concert tour
  5. an overseas trip made by a cricket or rugby team, etc, to play in several places
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verb
  1. to make a tour of (a place)
  2. to perform (a show) or promote (a product) in several different places
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Word Origin

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

Touraine

noun
  1. a former province of NW central France: at its height in the 16th century as an area of royal residences, esp along the Loire. Chief town: Tours
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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

Word Origin and History for tours

tour

n.

early 14c., "a turn, a shift on duty," from Old French tour, tourn "a turn, trick, round, circuit, circumference," from torner, tourner "to turn," from Latin tornare "to polish, round off, fashion, turn on a lathe" (see turn (v.)). Sense of "a traveling around, journey" is first recorded 1640s. Tour de France is recorded from 1922. The Grand Tour, a journey through France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy formerly was the finishing touch in the education of a gentleman.

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tour

v.

1746, from tour (n.). Related: Toured; touring.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper