town

[ toun ]
See synonyms for town on Thesaurus.com
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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  8. British.

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

    • any village or hamlet.

  9. Scot. a farmstead.

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

Idioms about town

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  1. paint the town. paint (def. 16).

Origin of town

1
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” (see down3 )

synonym study For town

1. See community.

Other words from town

  • townless, adjective
  • in·ter·town, adjective

Other definitions for Town (2 of 2)

Town
[ toun ]

noun
  1. 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. 2024

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

  1. a city, borough, or other urban area

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

  2. the nearest town or commercial district

  3. London or the chief city of an area

  4. the inhabitants of a town

  5. the permanent residents of a university town as opposed to the university staff and students: Compare gown (def. 3)

  6. go to town

    • to make a supreme or unrestricted effort; go all out

    • Australian and NZ informal to lose one's temper

  7. on the town seeking out entertainments and amusements

Origin of town

1
Old English tūn village; related to Old Saxon, Old Norse tūn, Old High German zūn fence, Old Irish dūn

Derived forms of town

  • townish, adjective
  • townless, adjective

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

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.