town
1 Americannoun
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a thickly populated area, usually smaller than a city and larger than a village, having fixed boundaries and certain local powers of government.
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a densely populated area of considerable size, as a city or borough.
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(especially in New England) a municipal corporation with less elaborate organization and powers than a city.
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(in most U.S. states except those of New England) a township.
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any urban area, as contrasted with its surrounding countryside.
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the inhabitants of a town; townspeople; citizenry.
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the particular town or city in mind or referred to.
living on the outskirts of town; to be out of town.
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a nearby or neighboring city; the chief town or city in a district.
I am staying at a friend's apartment in town.
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the main business or shopping area in a town or city; downtown.
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British.
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a village or hamlet in which a periodic market or fair is held.
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any village or hamlet.
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Scot. a farmstead.
adjective
idioms
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go to town,
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to be successful.
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to do well, efficiently, or speedily.
The engineers really went to town on those plans.
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to lose restraint or inhibition; overindulge.
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paint the town. paint.
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on the town,
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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.
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supported by the public charity of the state or community; on relief.
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noun
noun
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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
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( as modifier )
town life
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a city, borough, or other urban area
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(in the US) a territorial unit of local government that is smaller than a county; township
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the nearest town or commercial district
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London or the chief city of an area
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the inhabitants of a town
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the permanent residents of a university town as opposed to the university staff and students Compare gown
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to make a supreme or unrestricted effort; go all out
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informal to lose one's temper
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seeking out entertainments and amusements
Related Words
See community.
Other Word Forms
- intertown adjective
- townish adjective
- townless adjective
Etymology
Origin of town
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. ) )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The town is essentially a sunny place, full of mostly sunny people, to all appearances, a typical comedy hamlet.
From Los Angeles Times
If you could follow him around town, you would see.
From Los Angeles Times
The county will hold a town hall in Dana Point on Monday night to provide information and hear from the public.
From Los Angeles Times
Harteveld had been a town councillor in Milford Haven for three years, and had realised she would need "broad shoulders" to run as a Welsh Labour candidate in a county council election.
From BBC
The sleepy seaside town of North Berwick is an unlikely setting for an underground campaign of resistance.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
