Downtown vs. Town

of, relating to, or situated in the central business district

Example: ‘John walked everyday to his downtown job.’;

in or towards the central business district

Example: ‘You need to go downtown four blocks.’;

(basketball) Outside the three-point line, or generally far from the basket.

Example: ‘That shot came from way downtown!’;

The main business part of a city or town, usually located at or near its center.

the commercial center of a town or city

of or located in the lower part of a town, or in the business center;

Example: ‘downtown Manhattan’; ‘delinquents roaming the downtown streets’;

toward or in the lower or central part of town

in or relating to the central part or main business and commercial area of a town or city

Example: ‘downtown Chicago’; ‘a downtown bar’;

in or into a downtown area

Example: ‘I drove downtown’;

the downtown area of a town or city

Example: ‘the heart of Pittsburgh's downtown’;

Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart, and is often synonymous with its central business district (CBD). It is marked by a cluster of tall buildings, cultural institutions and the convergence of rail transit and bus lines.

A settlement; an area with residential districts, shops and amenities, and its own local government; especially one larger than a village and smaller than a city.

Example: ‘This town is really dangerous because these youngsters have Beretta handguns.’;

Any more urbanized center than the place of reference.

Example: ‘I'll be in Yonkers, then I'm driving into town to see the Knicks at the Garden tonight.’;

A rural settlement in which a market was held at least once a week.

The residents (as opposed to gown: the students, faculty, etc.) of a community which is the site of a university.

(colloquial) Used to refer to a town or similar entity under discussion.

Example: ‘Call me when you get to town.’;

(legal) A municipal organization, such as a corporation, defined by the laws of the entity of which it is a part.

(obsolete) An enclosure which surrounded the mere homestead or dwelling of the lord of the manor.

(obsolete) The whole of the land which constituted the domain.

(obsolete) A collection of houses enclosed by fences or walls.

A farm or farmstead; also, a court or farmyard.

Formerly: (a) An inclosure which surrounded the mere homestead or dwelling of the lord of the manor. [Obs.] (b) The whole of the land which constituted the domain. [Obs.] (c) A collection of houses inclosed by fences or walls.

Any number or collection of houses to which belongs a regular market, and which is not a city or the see of a bishop.

Any collection of houses larger than a village, and not incorporated as a city; also, loosely, any large, closely populated place, whether incorporated or not, in distinction from the country, or from rural communities.

Example: ‘God made the country, and man made the town.’;

The body of inhabitants resident in a town; as, the town voted to send two representatives to the legislature; the town voted to lay a tax for repairing the highways.

A township; the whole territory within certain limits, less than those of a country.

The court end of London; - commonly with the.

The metropolis or its inhabitants; as, in winter the gentleman lives in town; in summer, in the country.

Example: ‘Always hankering after the diversions of the town.’; ‘Stunned with his giddy larum half the town.’;

A farm or farmstead; also, a court or farmyard.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city;

Example: ‘they drive through town on their way to work’;

an administrative division of a county;

Example: ‘the town is responsible for snow removal’;

the people living in a municipality smaller than a city;

Example: ‘the whole town cheered the team’;

A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.