town

[ toun ]

/ taʊn /

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noun

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

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

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

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

any urban area, as contrasted with its surrounding countryside.

the inhabitants of a town; townspeople; citizenry.

the particular town or city in mind or referred to: living on the outskirts of town; to be out of town.

a nearby or neighboring city; the chief town or city in a district: I am staying at a friend's apartment in town.

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

British.

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

Scot. a farmstead.

adjective

of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or belonging to a town: town laws; town government; town constable.

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Idioms about town

go to town, Informal.

to be successful.
to do well, efficiently, or speedily: The engineers really went to town on those plans.
to lose restraint or inhibition; overindulge.

on the town,

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

paint the town. paint (def. 16).

Origin of town

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, Old Irish dún fort

synonym study for town

1. See community.

OTHER WORDS FROM town

townless, adjectivein·ter·town, adjective

Words nearby town

towing path, to wit, towkay, towline, towmond, town, town and gown, town car, town clerk, town crier, towner

Other definitions for town (2 of 2)

Town

[ toun ]

/ taʊn /

noun

Ith·i·el

[ith-ee-uhl], /ˈɪθ i əl/, 1784–1844, U.S. architect.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use town in a sentence

Helping revive small towns isn’t minor league baseball’s only upside.
Can Small-Town America Survive Pandemic’s Hit to Minor League Baseball?|Charu Kasturi|September 14, 2020|Ozy
Every week, anywhere from one to five individuals will show up from each town, with each outcome equally likely.
Can You Reach The Summit First?|Zach Wissner-Gross|September 11, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
On Tuesday, Hancock’s health department issued its latest localized coronavirus restrictions, this time affecting the town of Bolton, near Manchester in the North of England.
As the U.K.’s coronavirus testing system struggles, the health secretary blames too many ‘inappropriate’ tests|David Meyer|September 9, 2020|Fortune
When your legs need a rest, there’s year-round climbing within an hour of town.
27 Epic Trips to Start Planning Now|The Editors|September 8, 2020|Outside Online

Connell says most of his friends do work but that could be because he lives in a ski resort town with more jobs for teenagers than elsewhere.
Working as Teens? Not Gen Z|Pallabi Munsi|September 7, 2020|Ozy
Indeed, although he works here in the old town, he lives in the new part of the city where he walks his dog in the morning.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech|Liza Foreman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Their bodies were later found incinerated and buried in mass graves outside of town.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The sheriff charged them with truancy, and then he and his officers ran them out of town.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Some of the streets in this part of the town have seen large scale-destruction.
The Brothers Who Ambushed ISIS|Mohammed A. Salih|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The town, known in Arabic as Ayn al-Arab, is so significant to ISIS that the group calls it Ayn al-Islam.
The Brothers Who Ambushed ISIS|Mohammed A. Salih|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Duchess had also a tent for their sick men; so that we had a small town of our own here, and every body employed.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
The garrison of the town and fortress was nearly three thousand strong.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
"I don't know whether I am going to like this or not--this coming to live in town," thought the little pig.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard Barnum
Of course it is only the hardiest Ferns which can be expected to grow well in the town garden.
How to Know the Ferns|S. Leonard Bastin
The sun was shining when they arrived at Salon, the gayest, the most coquettish, the most laughing little town in Provence.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke

British Dictionary definitions for town

town

/ (taʊn) /

noun

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
(as modifier)town life Related adjective: urban

a city, borough, or other urban area

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

the nearest town or commercial district

London or the chief city of an area

the inhabitants of a town

the permanent residents of a university town as opposed to the university staff and studentsCompare gown (def. 3)

go to town

to make a supreme or unrestricted effort; go all out
Australian and NZ informal to lose one's temper

on the town seeking out entertainments and amusements

Derived forms of town

townish, adjectivetownless, adjective

Word Origin for town

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

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with town

town

In addition to the idiom beginning with town

town and gown

also see:

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

town

Idioms about town

Origin of town

synonym study for town

OTHER WORDS FROM town

Words nearby town

Other definitions for town (2 of 2)

Words related to town

How to use town in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for town

Derived forms of town

Word Origin for town

Other Idioms and Phrases with town