town-and-gown

town and gown

The two coexisting communities of a university town, i.e., the university (primarily the students) and the residents of the town where it is located, used especially in reference to tensions between the two. "Gown" is a reference to the traditional academic gown once worn by university students, now typically reserved for graduation ceremonies. Hyphenated if used as a modifier before a noun. The city council decided to establish a collaborative committee dedicated to helping resolve such disputes between town and gown. Town-and-gown relations have continued to sour as residents' complaints about noise and congestion within the town have increased.

See also: and, gown, town

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

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.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.