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# downtown

noun (downtown); adjective (downtown); adverb (downtown) — mostly US and Canada

«downtown» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (US, Canada) The main business and shopping area in the centre of a city or town. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#m1)
2. (adverb) To or in the city centre: «go downtown». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#m2)
3. (adjective) In or of the city centre: «downtown Toronto». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#m3)

### In the lessons

In American and Canadian life, «downtown» is where the tall offices, big shops, theatres and stadiums are; British and Irish speakers usually say «the town centre» or «in town», and Australians «the city» or «the CBD». In stories, «heading downtown» means going into the busy centre. Phrases: «go downtown», «downtown area», «downtown Chicago».

### Examples

- We took the bus downtown to see the parade. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x1)
- Dad works in an office downtown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x2)
- Downtown Toronto has very tall buildings. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x3)
- The downtown streets were full of shoppers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x4)
- There's a big library downtown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x5)
- (UK equivalent) We went into town to buy shoes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/#x6)

### Note

Mostly North American. Written as one word. Opposite: «uptown» (residential, often to the north in some cities) or «the suburbs». No «a» before it when used as a place: «go downtown», not «go to a downtown».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «downtown» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downtown/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«downtown» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/downtown.html) on Mova free.