town (redirected from townwards)

all over town 

1. Lit. in many places in town. Our dog got loose and ran all over town. Jane looked all over town for a dress to wear to the party.

2. Fig. known to many; widely known. Now keep this a secret. I don't want it all over town. In a short time the secret was known all over town.

Get out of town!

Beat it!; Get out of here! Go away, you bother me! Get out of town! You'd better get out of town, my friend. You are a pest.

See also: get, out

go to town 

1. Lit. to travel into town or a city. I have to go to town today.

2. Fig. to work hard or very effectively. Look at all those ants working. They are really going to town. Come on, you guys. Let's go to town. We have to finish this job before noon.

hit town

Fig. to arrive in town. The minute he hit town, he checked into a hotel and took a long nap.

See also: hit

I'll look you up when I'm in town.

Fig. I will try to visit you or contact you the next time I am in town. Bill: I hope to see you again sometime. Mary: I'll look you up when I'm in town. Andrew: Good-bye, Fred. It's been nice talking to you. I'll look you up when I'm in town. Fred: See you around, dude.

See also: look, up

Look me up when you're in town.

When you next come to my town, try to find me (and we will get together). (A vague and perhaps insincere invitation.) Bob: Nice to see you, Tom. Bye now. Tom: Yes, indeed. Look me up when you're in town. Bye. Sally (on the phone): Bye. Nice talking to you. Mary: Bye, Sally. Sorry we can't talk more. Look me up when you're in town.

See also: look, up

man about town

a fashionable man who leads a sophisticated life. He prefers a nightclub to a quiet night at home—a man about town. Bob's too much of a man about town to go to a football game.

See also: man

night on the town

a night of celebrating (at one or more places in a town). Did you enjoy your night on the town? After we got the contract signed, we celebrated with a night on the town.

See also: night

one-horse town

Fig. a very small town; a small and backward town. I refuse to spend a whole week in that one-horse town! I grew up in a one-horse town, and I liked it very much.

out of town

temporarily not in one's own town. I'll go out of town next week. I'm going to be at a conference. I take care of Mary's cat when she's out of town.

See also: out

out on the town

Fig. celebrating at one or more places in a town. I'm really tired. I was out on the town until dawn. We went out on the town to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

See also: out

paint the town (red)

Sl. to go out and celebrate; to go on a drinking bout; to get drunk. I feel like celebrating my promotion. Let's go out and paint the town. They were out painting the town red last night.

See also: paint

town-and-gown

the relations between a town and the university located within the town; the relations between university students and the nonstudents who live in a university town. (Usually in reference to a disagreement. Fixed order.) There is another town-and-gown dispute in Adamsville over the amount the university costs the city for police services. There was more town-and-gown strife reported at Larry's Bar and Grill last Saturday night.

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a man-about-town

a rich man who usually does not work and enjoys a lot of social activities He's a millionaire businessman and man-about-town who is seen in all the best places.

a one-horse town  (American & Australian)

a small town where very little happens Grafton's a real one-horse town with only one grocery store and nothing to do in the evening.

be the talk of the town  (old-fashioned)

to be the person or subject that everyone is talking about and interested in 'I didn't realise anyone knew I was seeing Pete at the time.' 'It was the talk of the town, Kath!'

See also: talk

be/go out on the town

to go out and enjoy yourself at bars, restaurants etc. in the evening She stayed in her hotel room while the others went out on the town.

See also: out

go to town on something

to do something in a very eager way and as completely as possible, especially by spending a lot of money Angie and Phil have really gone to town on their wedding.

See paint the town red

paint the town red  (informal)

to go out and enjoy yourself in the evening, often drinking a lot of alcohol and dancing Jack finished his exams today so he's gone out to paint the town red.

See also: paint, red

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all over town

in or to many parts of a city or town People all over town thought I was crazy to buy that old hotel. Now you won't have to drive all over town to find that dress.

Related vocabulary: all over

go to town (on something)

to do something eagerly and as completely as possible Angie and Phil have really gone to town on their wedding.

Usage notes: often used to describe an activity that involves spending a large amount of money

on the town

going to bars or other places of entertainment in a town or city for pleasure I went out on the town and didn't get home till 3:00 in the morning. I invited my house guests for a big night on the town.

paint the town (red)

to go out and celebrate without control Jack finished his exams today so he's gone out to paint the town red.

Usage notes: usually said about celebrations that include a lot of drinking

See also: paint

the only game in town

the one there is of its type Before cable, broadcast TV was the only game in town.

See also: game