资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Town \Town\, n. [OE. toun, tun, AS. tun inclosure, fence,
   village, town; akin to D. tuin a garden, G. zaun a hadge,
   fence, OHG. zun, Icel. tun an inclosure, homestead, house,
   Ir. & Gael. dun a fortress, W. din. Cf. {Down}, adv. & prep.,
   {Dune}, {tine} to inclose.]
   1. 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.
          [Obs.] --Palsgrave.

   2. Any number or collection of houses to which belongs a
      regular market, and which is not a city or the see of a
      bishop. [Eng.] --Johnson.

   3. 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.

            God made the country, and man made the town.
                                                  --Cowper.

   4. 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.

   5. A township; the whole territory within certain limits,
      less than those of a country. [U. S.]

   6. The court end of London;-- commonly with the.

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

            Always hankering after the diversions of the town.
                                                  --Addison.

            Stunned with his giddy larum half the town. --Pope.

   Note: The same form of expressions is used in regard to other
         populous towns.

   8. A farm or farmstead; also, a court or farmyard. [Prov.
      Eng. & Scot.]

   Note: Town is often used adjectively or in combination with
         other words; as, town clerk, or town-clerk; town-crier,
         or town crier; townhall, town-hall, or town hall;
         townhouse, town house, or town-house.

   Syn: Village; hamlet. See {Village}.

   {Town clerk}, an office who keeps the records of a town, and
      enters its official proceedings. See {Clerk}.

   {Town cress} (Bot.), the garden cress, or peppergrass. --Dr.
      Prior.

   {Town house}.
      (a) A house in town, in distinction from a house in the
          country.
      (b) See {Townhouse}.

   {Town meeting}, a legal meeting of the inhabitants of a town
      entitled to vote, for the transaction of public bisiness.
      [U. S.]

   {Town talk}, the common talk of a place; the subject or topic
      of common conversation.

资料来源 : WordNet®

town meeting
     n 1: government of a town by an assembly of the qualified voters
     2: a meeting of the inhabitants of a town