town

¹

[toun]

noun

1. a thickly populated area, usually smaller than a city and larger than a village, having fixed boundaries and certain local powers of government.

2. a densely populated area of considerable size, as a city or borough.

3. (especially in New England) a municipal corporation with less elaborate organization and powers than a city.

4. (in most U.S. states except those of New England) a township.

5. any urban area, as contrasted with its surrounding countryside.

6. the inhabitants of a town; townspeople; citizenry.

7. the particular town or city in mind or referred to.

   living on the outskirts of town; to be out of town.

8. a nearby or neighboring city; the chief town or city in a district.

   I am staying at a friend's apartment in town.

9. the main business or shopping area in a town or city; downtown.

10. British.

    1. a village or hamlet in which a periodic market or fair is held.

    2. any village or hamlet.

11. Scot.,  a farmstead.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or belonging to a town.

   town laws; town government; town constable.

Town

²

[toun]

noun

1. Ithiel 1784–1844, U.S. architect.

town

/ taʊn /

noun

1. 1. a densely populated urban area, typically smaller than a city and larger than a village, having some local powers of government and a fixed boundary

   2. ( as modifier )

      town life

2. a city, borough, or other urban area

3. (in the US) a territorial unit of local government that is smaller than a county; township

4. the nearest town or commercial district

5. London or the chief city of an area

6. the inhabitants of a town

7. the permanent residents of a university town as opposed to the university staff and students Compare gown

8. 1. to make a supreme or unrestricted effort; go all out

   2. informal,  to lose one's temper

9. seeking out entertainments and amusements

Other Word Forms

• townless adjective
• intertown adjective
• townish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of town¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English toun, tun, Old English tūn “walled or fenced place, courtyard, farmstead, village”; cognate with Old Norse tūn “homefield,” German Zaun “fence”; akin to Old Irish dún “citadel, fortress” ( down ³ ( def. ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of town¹

Old English tūn village; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse tūn, Old High German zūn fence, Old Irish dūn

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go to town,

   1. to be successful.

   2. to do well, efficiently, or speedily.

      The engineers really went to town on those plans.

   3. to lose restraint or inhibition; overindulge.

2. paint the town. paint.

3. on the town,

   1. Informal. in quest of entertainment in a city's nightclubs, bars, etc.; out to have a good time.

      a bunch of college kids out on the town.

   2. supported by the public charity of the state or community; on relief.

More idioms and phrases containing town

• all over the place (town)
• ghost town
• go to town
• man about town
• on the town
• one-horse town
• only game in town
• out of town
• paint the town red
• talk of the town

Synonym Study

See community.

Example Sentences

It’s a short step from being a “town mascot” to a candidate for Congress.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In four weeks of hearings in the southern town of Albi, the defence argued that because the body of his wife Delphine had never been found there was no certainty a crime had been committed.

Read more on BBC

The nation’s two most prominent elected officials affiliated with Democratic Socialists hosting a town hall on CNN on the same day suggests a potential inflection point.

Read more on Salon

"Everything is fine, everything is open," said Nani, 35, a resident of the Afghan frontier town of Spin Boldak, where the fighting had been particularly intense.

Read more on Barron's

A Palestinian teenager who held US citizenship was shot dead by the army in April, followed by a 14-year-old in June in the town of Sinjil in June, and a 15-year-old in July.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• city 
• metropolis 
• municipality 
• township