town
town
[ /noun]
/taʊn/
1 countable, uncountable a place with many houses, shops, etc. where people live and work. It is larger than a village but smaller than a city.
The nearest town is ten miles away.
a university/seaside/market town
in a town I live in a small town.
How many people live in the town?
We spent a month in the French town of Le Puy.
They live in a rough part of town.
SEE ALSO Bean Town, boom town, company town, county town, dormitory town, ghost town, new town, shanty town, small-town, twin town
Culture place names
TOPICS Geography A1
Collocations
adjective
big
large
major
verb + town
build
found
live in
town + verb
flourish
grow
town + noun
center
hall
square
preposition
in town
out of town
outside (the) town…
phrases
the centre/​center of (the) town
the middle of (the) town
the edge of (the) town…
2 the town singular the people who live in a particular town
The whole town is talking about it.
SEE ALSO Our Town
3 uncountable the area of a town where most of the shops and businesses are
We are only five minutes from the centre of town.
in town Mum's in town doing some shopping.
Can you give me a lift into town?
Millie hit the town, looking for excitement.
SEE ALSO downtown, midtown, out-of-town, uptown
Collocations Dictionary
verb + town
go intohit
preposition
in town
4 uncountable (especially North American English) a particular town where somebody lives and works or one that has just been referred to
in town I'll be in town next week if you want to meet.
This restaurant serves the best steaks in town.
out of town He married a girl from out of town.
The gossips finally drove her out of town.
SEE ALSO out-of-town
5 ​singular, uncountable life in towns or cities as opposed to life in the country
Pollution is just one of the disadvantages of living in the town.
Do you prefer the town to the country?
Collocations Town and country
Idioms
go to town (on something)
​(informal) to do something with a lot of energy, enthusiasm, etc., especially by spending a lot of money
They really went to town on the decorations for the party.
Wordfinder
a/the man about town
​(old-fashioned) a man who frequently goes to fashionable parties, clubs, theatres, etc.
In his new suit, he looked quite the man about town.
the only game in town
​(informal) the most important thing of a particular type, or the only thing that is available
(out) on the town
​(informal) visiting restaurants, clubs, theatres, etc. for entertainment, especially at night
a night on the town
How about going out on the town tonight?
paint the town red
​(informal) to go to a lot of different bars, clubs, etc. and enjoy yourself
Word Origin
Old English tūn ‘enclosed piece of land, homestead, village’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tuin ‘garden’ and German Zaun ‘fence’.