town, toun, towne

& a. [A. S. tún =a fence, a homestead, a village, a town, from týnan =to inclose; cogn. with Dut. tuin a fence, a hedge; Icel. tún an inclosure, a homestead, a dwelling house; O. H. Ger.zún=ahedge; Ger. zaun; cf. also Ir. & Gael. dun a fortre ; Wel. din =a hill-fort; din as a town.] A. As substantive: I. Ordinary Language: 1. A place inclosed or fenced in; a collection of houses inclosed within walls, hedges, or the like for defense; a walled or fortified place. "Seven walled towns of strength." Shakesp.: Henry VI., Pt. I. , iii. 4. 2. A collection of houses, larger than a village. (Used in a general sense, and including city. Often used in opposition to country , in which case it is preceded by the definite article.) The term is often used absolutely, and without the proper name of the particular place, to denote the metropolis, county-town, or a particular city, in which, or in the vicinity of which, the speaker or writer is; as, to live in town , to go to town , to be in town. In this usage the nearest large city is the town particularly referred to in most cases. 3. A number of adjoining or nearly adjoining houses, to which belongs a regular market, and which is not a city. "Razeth your cities and subverts your towns." Shakesp.: Henry VI., Pt. I., ii. 3. 4. The body of inhabitants residing in a town; the townspeople. "The town will rise." -Shakesp.: Othello , ii. 3. 5. A township; the whole territory within certain limits. 6. A farm or farmstead; a farmhouse with its outbuildings. (Scotch.) "The door was locked, as is usual in landward towns in this country."-Scott: Old Mortality , ch. viii. II. Law : A tithing, a vill; a sub-division of a county, as a parish is a sub-division of a diocese. (Black stone: Comment., Int., § 5.) B. As adj .: Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a town; urban; as, town life, town manners. Town and gown : [GOWN, 8.]. *town-adjutant, s. Mil.: An officer formerly on the staff of a garrison, and ranking as a lieutenant. His duties were to maintain discipline, . *town-box, 8. The money-chest of a town or municipal corporation; common fund. "Upon the confiscation of them to their town - box or exchequer."-Gauden: Tears of the Church, p. 11. town-clerk, 8. 1. Ord . Lang .: The clerk to a municipal corporation. In this country his duties are for the most part those of a mere servant of the corporation which elects him. His duties comprise the keeping the records of the town, and entering its official proceedings. 2. Scripture : The translation, in Acts xix. 35 (A. V. & R. V.), of Gr. ho gram mate us the keeper of the city records. town-council, subst . The governing body in a municipal corporation elected by the people. Their principal duties are to manage the property of the town, impose taxes for public purposes, and pa by-laws for the proper government of the town. 4138 town-councillor, subst. A member of a town council, who is not an alderman. town-cre , s. Bot.: Lepidium sativum , the Garden Cre . town-crier, s. A public crier; one who makes proclamation of public meetings, auctions, lo es, ., generally with sound of a bell. "If you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines." --Shakesp.: Hamlet , iii. 1.