From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtourtour1 /tʊə $ tʊr/ ●●● S3 W2 noun [countable] 1 DLTTRAVELa journey for pleasure, during which you visit several different towns, areas etctour of/around/round a 10-day tour of Chinaa walking/cycling/sightseeing etc tour a cycling tour of Cornwall We met on a coach tour in Italy. → package tour► see thesaurus at journey2 DLTTRAVELa short trip through a place to see ittour of/around/round a guided tour around the Kennedy Space Center Kim worked as a tour guide in Cambridge last summer.3 APDSa planned journey made by musicians, a sports team etc in order to perform or play in several placestour of the England cricket team’s tour of Indiaon tour The Moscow Symphony Orchestra is here on tour. the first leg of the band’s European tour (=the first part of it)4 PERIOD OF TIMEa period during which you go to live somewhere, usually abroad, to do your job, especially military work his third tour in Northern Ireland5 → tour of inspection
Examples from the Corpus
tour• Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke is putting up a crab cake dinner, and a tour of Baltimore.• We took a bicycle tour of Tuscany.• a bicycle tour• Did you see Bruce Springsteen on his last tour?• Norton is on tour promoting her new children's book.• They like to take package tours because they hate dealing with details.• Package tours that include tickets to Olympic events have sold well.• Half its resorts have snowshoe tours.• Naturally there's plenty of wine-tasting tours, visits to the huge cellars and between June and October wine festivals are held.• It was the latter's first innings of the tour.• The last leg of the tour will take the team to Dallas.• The tour includes stops in Salzburg and Vienna.• The prime minister has left for a three-week tour of South America.• a three-year tour in Germany with the Armytour of/around/round• The day commenced with a tour of the now almost deserted facility at Wadeville.• Stephenson drew huge, rabid crowds on his barnstorming tours of the Indiana countryside.• Prior to Feakle, army battalions were able to spend only five months outside Northern Ireland between tours of duty.• Today one can enjoy a relaxing boat tour around the harbour.• A large, blue twin-engine air boat that normally is used for tours of the Everglades serves as the major on-site platform.tour of/around/round• The day commenced with a tour of the now almost deserted facility at Wadeville.• Stephenson drew huge, rabid crowds on his barnstorming tours of the Indiana countryside.• Prior to Feakle, army battalions were able to spend only five months outside Northern Ireland between tours of duty.• Today one can enjoy a relaxing boat tour around the harbour.• A large, blue twin-engine air boat that normally is used for tours of the Everglades serves as the major on-site platform.tour of• The musical is making a year-long tour of the U.S. and Canada.• a four-month tour of South Americatourtour2 ●●○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]DLTTRAVEL to visit several parts of a country or area We’re touring the Greek islands this summer.► see thesaurus at travel2 [transitive] to go round or be shown round a place The minister had been invited to tour the new factory.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
tour• The team is currently touring Australia in a series of friendly games.• Steve and Maggie have toured extensively and together present a unique blend of traditional and Tilston material.• The theatre company will tour later this year.• He seemed to be touring other worlds.• The following morning there will be an opportunity to tour some of the local cultural attractions in informal groups.• For our summer vacation this year we're touring Spain in a camper.• We shall tour the city for two hours and then meet back at the bus.• The man behind the craze is currently touring the country in a one man and his puppets show.• Lots of boats and ferries tour the islands, and many excursions are available.• Sosa toured the world with an Afro-Cuban jazz band.• Relentless international touring was to keep the company afloat financially for three years.• Haynes recorded with Charlie Parker and toured with Sarah Vaughan in the 1950s.Origin tour1 (1300-1400) Old French tour, tourn “circular course, turn”; → TURN1 