- 1[countable, uncountable] a place where people live and work that is smaller than a city but has many houses, stores, etc. a college town They live in a rough part of town. The nearest town is ten miles away. the northern Vermont town of Saint Albans see small-town You will find other compounds ending in town at their place in the alphabet.
- 2the town [singular] the people who live in a particular town The whole town is talking about it.
- 3[uncountable] the area of a town where most of the stores and businesses are Can you give me a lift into town? see downtown, midtown, out-of-town, uptown
- 4[uncountable] a particular town where someone lives and works or one that has just been referred to I'll be in town next week if you want to meet. He married a girl from out of town. The gossips finally drove her out of town. This restaurant serves the best steaks in town. see 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 town. Topic CollocationsTown and Countrytown
- live in a city/a town/an urban environment/the suburbs/the (housing) projects/shanty towns/slums/ (informal) a concrete jungle/the ghetto
- live downtown/in the downtown area/uptown/in midtown (Manhattan)
- enjoy/like the hectic pace of life/the hustle and bustle of city life
- cope with the stress/pressures of urban life
- get caught up in the rat race
- prefer/seek the anonymity of life in a big city
- be drawn to/resist the lure of the big city
- head for the bright lights (of the big city/New York)
- enjoy/love the vibrant/lively nightlife
- have/be close to all the amenities
- be surrounded by towering skyscrapers/soulless suburban sprawl
- use/travel by/rely on public transportation
- put up with/get stuck in/sit in massive/huge/heavy/endless/constant traffic jams
- tackle/ease/reduce/relieve/alleviate the heavy/severe (traffic) congestion
- be affected by/choked with/damaged by pollution
- live in a village/the countryside/an isolated area/a rural backwater/ (informal) the sticks/the boondocks
- enjoy/like the relaxed/slower pace of life
- enjoy/love/explore the great outdoors
- look for/find/get/enjoy a little peace and quiet
- need/want to get back/closer to nature
- be surrounded by open/unspoiled/picturesque/peaceful countryside
- escape/quit/get out of/leave the rat race
- seek/achieve a better/healthy work-life balance
- downshift to a less stressful life
- build/seek/start a new life in the country
- pull up stakes and move to/head for…
- create/build/foster a strong sense of community
- depend on/be employed in/work in agriculture
- live off/farm/work the land
- tackle/address the problem of rural/small-town unemployment
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.
a man who frequently goes to fashionable parties, clubs, theaters, etc. In his new suit, he looked like the man about town.
the most important thing of a particular type, or the only thing that is available
visiting restaurants, clubs, theaters, etc. for entertainment, especially at night a night on the town How about going out on the town tonight?
to go to a lot of different bars, clubs, etc. and enjoy yourself
Check pronunciation: town