town

Universal Words noun 1 [C,U] a place with many houses, shops/stores, etc. where people live and work. It is larger than a village but smaller than a city: a university town * They live in a rough part of town. * The nearest town is ten miles away. * We spent a month in the French town of Le Puy. * When she retired, she moved back to her home town (= the town where she was born and spent her childhood). seealsoSMALL-TOWN HELPNOTE You will find other compounds ending in town at their place in the alphabet. 2 (the town) [sing.] the people who live in a particular town: I suppose the whole town is talking about it. 3 [U] the area of a town where most of the shops/stores and businesses are: Can you give me a lift into town? seealsoDOWNTOWN, MIDTOWN, OUT-OF-TOWN, UPTOWN 4 [U] (especially AmE) a particular town where sb lives and works or one that has just been referred to: I'll be in town next week if you want to meet for a drink. * He married a girl from out of town. * The gossips finally drove her out of town. * This restaurant serves the best steaks in town. seealsoOUT-OF-TOWN 5 [sing.,U] life in towns or cities as opposed to life in the country: Pollution is just one of the disadvantages of living in the town. IDIOMS go to town (on sth) (informal) to do sth 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. (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? moreatMANn., PAINTv.