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in town

in town

145 1.1
Present in a town or city for a short visit
  • idiom
translation icon : de visita
  • It's been a long time, but I'm back in town this time.
  • best show in town
  • only show in town
  • a game in town

But Adam from your Movie Sucks is in town in November.

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Examples

  • How long are you gonna be in town?

  • I'm going to be in town for six days.

  • So currently just in town getting a few things done.

  • And I think you were in town for two days and then left.

  • Sometimes I stay here when I'm in town, but I do not live here.

  • You take the wagon, I'll meet you back in town tomorrow night.

  • Look who's back in town.

  • And he's obviously in town because it is his reunion year.

  • Yeah, I'm just in town doing a little astronaut training.

  • How long are you going to be in town this weekend?

Antonyms

178 3.2

Happening in another town or city, not local

How Long

resident
8 2.0
to stay at
450 2.0
in town
145 1.1
visiting
2 1.0
to pass through
255 2.7

Surface Forms

in town positive

Morphology

in + town

The meaning 'present in a particular town or city' is directly and compositionally derived from 'in' (showing location inside boundaries) and 'town' (a settlement). This simple locative prepositional phrase follows common cross-linguistic patterns and will be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words, though finer pragmatic notes about being a short-term visitor rely on context.

Etymology

In town may come from visiting traders, actors, or friends who were temporarily in the streets and markets of a town to work or see people, then left. That's why we use it to mean 'present in a particular town' for a short time.