town
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.
of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or belonging to a town: town laws; town government; town constable.
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
1synonym study For town
Other words from town
- townless, adjective
- in·ter·town, adjective
Other definitions for Town (2 of 2)
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
How to use town in a sentence
An additional 12,000 took to the streets in other German towns.
Traditionally, the community has eschewed visitors and strangers to their towns, and strictly forbade outside marriage.
For many years, visitors were barred from the isolated towns.
“These towns that are doing it just continue to make New Jersey less and less competitive,” Christie said.
Nestled in the hills are small market towns like Buleda, dominated by Baluch who make a living smuggling diesel and drugs.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan | Umar Farooq | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The country is well inhabited, for it contains fifty-one cities, near a hundred walled towns, and a great number of villages.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan SwiftHe was long engaged in sanguinary war with the Turks and the French, who pillaged and destroyed his frontier towns.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel MunsellChildren live up in the rock villages, and never come down to the towns.
Rosemary in Search of a Father | C. N. WilliamsonThey require frequent cleaning with a long wire and a bit of tow, and in some large towns there are professional pipe-cleaners.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.Yung Pak noticed that on the upper side of each of these hill-towns was a moon-shaped wall.
Our Little Korean Cousin | H. Lee M. Pike
British Dictionary definitions for town
/ (taʊn) /
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 students: Compare 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
Origin of town
1Derived 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
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.
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