Tours

[ too r; French toor ]

/ tʊər; French tur /

noun

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.

Nearby words

tournedos, tourneur, tourney, tourniquet, tournois, Tours, tourtière, touré, tous-les-mois, touse, tousle

Definition for tours (2 of 4)

tour

[ toor ]

/ tʊər /

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.

Origin of tour

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

SYNONYMS FOR tour

2 trip, expedition.

6, 8 visit.

Related forms

min·i·tour, nounun·toured, adjective

Definition for tours (3 of 4)

Indre-et-Loire

[ an-drey-lwar ]

/ ɛ̃ dreɪˈlwar /

noun

a department in W central France. 2378 sq. mi. (6160 sq. km). Capital: Tours.

Definition for tours (4 of 4)

Touraine

[ too-ren; French too-ren ]

/ tʊˈrɛn; French tuˈrɛn /

noun

a former province in W France. Capital: Tours.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tours

The subsequent media attention led prison authorities to officially shut down the tours.
Cocaine, Politicians and Wives: Inside the World’s Most Bizarre Prison|Jason Batansky|October 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Emily Rushton, an escort in her 30s who tours both cities and smaller towns around Ontario, explains that region is a factor, too.
The Importance of Adult Classifieds|Hazlitt|September 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Today, tours take visitors up to the once-hidden floor of the still-bustling hotel.
The KGB Welcomes You to Estonia’s Hotel Viru. Please Mind the Hidden Bugs|Nina Strochlic|July 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They rode as far as Tours on the Loire until stopped by the French cavalry of Charles Martel.
Is This Hemingway’s Pamplona or a Lot of Bull?|Clive Irving|July 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Celebrities like Paul Newman and Sophia Loren even dropped by for tours.
Israel’s Tiniest Breakaway State|Nina Strochlic|June 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Despite their continuous quarrels with the Archbishop of Tours, the good priests are rare, the bad ones numerous.
The Carlovingian Coins|Eugne Sue
It was Radegunds wish that they should be fetched from Tours to her nunnery by a procession headed by the bishop of Poitiers.
Woman under Monasticism|Lina Eckenstein
Even then our tours would be circuitous, and sometimes retrograde, and we should turn and double like hares before the hounds.
Haunted London|Walter Thornbury
He made several Alpine tours, and once (in 1860) he accompanied me in an ascent of the Jungfrau with a couple of guides.
The Life of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, Bart., K.C.S.I.|Sir Leslie Stephen
I will take my people, and go to my aunt by Tours and the east road.
Count Hannibal|Stanley J. Weyman

British Dictionary definitions for tours (1 of 4)

Tours

/ (French tur) /

noun

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)

British Dictionary definitions for tours (2 of 4)

Indre-et-Loire

/ (French ɛ̃drelwar) /

noun

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)

British Dictionary definitions for tours (3 of 4)

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

British Dictionary definitions for tours (4 of 4)

Touraine

/ (French turɛn) /

noun

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

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

Tours

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Definition for tours (2 of 4)

tour

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Origin of tour

SYNONYMS FOR tour

Related forms

Definition for tours (3 of 4)

Indre-et-Loire

noun

Definition for tours (4 of 4)

Touraine

noun

Examples from the Web for tours

British Dictionary definitions for tours (1 of 4)

Tours

noun

British Dictionary definitions for tours (2 of 4)

Indre-et-Loire

noun

British Dictionary definitions for tours (3 of 4)

tour

noun

verb

Word Origin for tour

British Dictionary definitions for tours (4 of 4)

Touraine

noun