tour
gb/tˈʊɹ/ us/tˈʊɹ/
A2
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
event
1
Journey visiting several places
A trip where you go to different places, often to see things or for work.
Usage pattern:
a tour of [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'tour' with 'trip'. A trip can be to one place, but a tour usually involves visiting multiple places.
Synonyms
trip (A general term for travel; not always multiple stops like a tour.)
|
excursion (Usually shorter and for leisure; may be part of a tour.)
Antonyms
stay (Remaining in one place instead of traveling.)
Collocations
guided tour
|world tour
|bus tour
|walking tour
|museum tour
Themes
travel
|entertainment
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We booked a guided tour of the ancient city.
- The band is on a world tour this year.
- She took a bus tour around the countryside.
- Our tour of Italy lasted two weeks.
- The museum offers free tours every Saturday.
Learner examples
- We went on a tour of the city.
- The singer is on a big tour.
- I took a tour of the old castle.
- We joined a walking tour.
- The tour lasted three hours.
Verb
B1
action
2
Travel to several places
To go to different places, often for fun or work.
Usage pattern:
to tour [place]
Common mistake:
Learners may use 'tour' without an object when they mean 'go on a tour' or 'travel'. As a verb, it usually takes an object, like 'tour the city'.
Synonyms
travel around (Less formal and not necessarily organized like a tour.)
|
visit (More general; does not imply multiple stops.)
Antonyms
settle (To stay in one place instead of traveling.)
Collocations
tour the country
|tour Europe
|tour the facility
Themes
travel
|entertainment
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The group will tour Asia next summer.
- She spent a month touring France by train.
- They are touring the factory to learn about production.
- He toured the United States promoting his book.
Learner examples
- We will tour Spain next year.
- The band will tour many cities.
- She toured the old town yesterday.
- They toured the big factory.
- We want to tour Europe.
Noun
A2
event
3
Guided visit of a place
A short walk or ride around a place to see and learn about it.
Usage pattern:
a tour of [building/place]
Synonyms
inspection (More formal and evaluative; not always for leisure.)
|
walkthrough (Informal and often quick; may lack the detailed learning aspect of a tour.)
Antonyms
ignore (To not look at or visit something.)
Collocations
school tour
|factory tour
|campus tour
Themes
education
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We had a quick tour of the new office building.
- The students went on a campus tour before classes started.
- Visitors can take a factory tour to see how products are made.
Learner examples
- We went on a school tour.
- The teacher gave us a tour of the library.
- We had a short tour of the park.
Noun
B2
event
4
Period of duty or service
A set time working in one place, especially in the army or similar jobs.
Synonyms
assignment (General term for a work posting; may not imply fixed duration like 'tour'.)
Antonyms
leave (A break from work or duty.)
Collocations
tour of duty
|overseas tour
Themes
work
|military
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He completed two tours in Afghanistan.
- Her first overseas tour was in Japan.
- The soldier returned home after his tour of duty.
Learner examples
- He did one tour in Iraq.
- She started her first tour in Africa.
- He came home after his tour of duty.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tour
IPA
GB/tˈʊɹ/
US/tˈʊɹ/
Syllables & stress
tour (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (tour)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tour
- Plural: tour, tours
Verb
- Base: tour
- 3rd Person Singular: tours
- Present Participle: touring
- Past: toured
Word family
Expressions
guided tour
1/ɡˈaɪdɪd tˈʊɹ/
fixed phrase
Organized visit with explanations by guide
A visit where someone shows you around and tells you about the place.
Examples
- We took a guided tour of the historic castle.
- The guided tour lasted two hours and covered all main exhibits.
tour of duty
1/tˈʊɹ əv dˈuti/
fixed phrase
Fixed period of service assignment
The time someone works in one place, especially in the army or similar jobs.
Examples
- He is halfway through his second tour of duty in the navy.
- Her father completed three tours of duty overseas.
world tour
1/wˈɚld tˈʊɹ/
fixed phrase
Global performance or promotion trip
A trip to many countries, usually for music, sports, or promotion.
Examples
- The band announced their new world tour starting in June.
- She embarked on a world tour to promote her latest book.