the City
3
6.8
- noun
- /ðə ˈsɪti/
- Jargon
:
la City
- Robinson told me that there were 40 million square feet... of empty office space in London, 16 million in the City.
Examples
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During the financial crisis, the City faced significant challenges but eventually recovered.
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The City which has become almost exclusively... the preserve of international finance.
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It was beginning to look as if the City of London... might start to lose its international position once the slump was over.
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As far as the Tories were concerned... London's self-government should be restricted... to a number of inimical local bodies as it was in the 19th century... while the real power in the capital was carved out between themselves... and their friends in the City.
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Many international businesses operate in the City, making it a hub for financial transactions.
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Investors flock to the City to engage with top-tier banks and financial firms.
Synonyms
2
4.1
A small historic area in central London that is the main financial district with its own local government and police
Surface Forms
Morphology
the + City
A B1 learner who knows 'the' and 'city' will understand the literal sense of 'the city' as an urban area or central part of town, so there is a visible link to the constituents. However, the specialized metonymic meaning referring specifically to London’s financial institutions ('the City') is culture-specific and not directly predictable from the words alone, so learners need prior exposure to acquire the institutional sense.
Etymology
The City came to mean the banks and markets because many banks, traders and offices were based in that small old town. So when people say the City today they often mean the 'finance world' or the area where money business happens.