town definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

Thesaurus

Translations

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

See pronunciation key

Search for "town" in all of MSN Encarta

E-mail this entry

Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces

Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

town

town [ town ] (plural towns)

noun

Definition:

1. large area of buildings: a densely populated area with many buildings, larger than a village and smaller than a city

2. urban area: a large urban area, either a town, a city, or a borough

3. politics unit of local government: in parts of the United States and Canada, a unit of local government that is smaller than a county or city

4. local town: the nearest large town or city, or the town or city in which somebody lives

moving into town

5. center of settled area: the center of a town or city

6. population of settled area: the people who live in a town

The whole town's talking about it.

7. nonacademic population: the permanent residents of a town that has a university, as opposed to the staff and students of the university

town and gown

8. zoology prairie dog burrows: a group of prairie dog burrows

[ Old English tūn "yard, buildings within an enclosure" < Germanic]

town·ish adjective

go to town (on somebody or something) to deal with somebody or something with great enthusiasm or thoroughness (informal)

on the town spending time enjoying the entertainment available in a town or city, especially if a lot of money is spent (informal)

paint the town red to go out and celebrate, especially by spending a lot of money on entertainment (informal)

Cultural Note


	Our Town, a play (1938) by Thornton Wilder. This beloved U.S. play depicts daily life in the archetypal small town of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. On a bare stage, the folksy Stage Manager both directs and comments on the homely activities of Editor Webb, Dr. Gibbs, and their families and friends as they cook, play baseball, and sing in the choir, ache, hope, love, and die. It is an affectionate retelling of an enduring American myth as well as a tribute to the dignity and meaning in unsung lives.

Also on Encarta

•	10 tips for building your English vocabulary

•	Alternatives to the M.B.A.

•	GPS for students

•	Saving for college

•	Presidential Myths Quiz

•

Coffee break: Recharge your brain

Also on MSN

•	Shark Week on the Discovery Channel

•	MSN Shopping: Best books for the season

•	MSN Careers: Nail that job interview

•

Today's news on MSNBC


MSN Shopping